West Virginia’s head coach, Rich Rodriguez, is in no rush to make a decision on the starting quarterback for the upcoming season. He has made it clear that the competition will continue well into the spring, summer, and even fall camp. Rodriguez joked that the Mountaineers might not announce their starting quarterback until the very last minute. He stated they could wait just before the first game kicks off. According to him, there’s no need to rush the process. “Why would we? The battle could go on until then,” he said.
Rodriguez and the coaching staff are hoping that by the end of the season, they’ll have at least three quarterbacks who are capable of stepping up to lead the team to victory. Rodriguez wants to keep the competition open, even though a decision might be made before then. They will continue evaluating all of his options. The goal is not just to pick one quarterback. Instead, it is to develop several good options that the coaching staff can trust.
Rodriguez confident that West Virginia has three good quarterback options
Coach Rodriguez is confident in the talent his team has right now. He believes that West Virginia has enough skill at the quarterback position to have three players capable of winning games. Still, the decision on who will be the starter is far from final. Rodriguez emphasized that while there is a possibility that someone could separate themselves by the end of the spring, that might not happen. There is still plenty of work to be done before a final decision can be made.
Rodriguez said the team needs to finish fall camp with three quarterbacks who can win games. Despite the talent on the roster, he hasn’t promised the starting job to anyone. He wants each player to prove themselves on the field as the competition continues through spring, summer, and fall.
No set philosophy for the role in offense
Rodriguez also made it clear that he won’t base his decision on a specific philosophy about the quarterback’s role in the offense. He isn’t looking for a particular type of quarterback, especially in terms of running ability. He simply wants the best player to earn the job, no matter their style of play. This flexibility allows the coaching staff to plan ahead for potential injuries during the season. If the starter goes down, they need backups who can step in and keep the offense running smoothly.
“I just want them all to improve,” Rodriguez said. He plans to develop every quarterback and make sure they are ready for the season. The Mountaineers need multiple quarterbacks prepared to step in and help the team succeed.
Quarterbacks will rotate throughout spring and summer
As part of the competition, Rodriguez plans to continue rotating quarterbacks throughout the spring. This rotation will likely carry over into the summer. The coaching staff will work to evaluate all the players fairly. The team’s performance and how the quarterbacks handle their reps will help determine who is ready to take charge of the offense when the season starts.
“I don’t worry about who’s in with the ones or twos,” Rodriguez said. He is focused on making sure each quarterback gets a fair chance to show what they can do. The goal is to identify who can perform under pressure and lead the team to victory.
Left-handed quarterbacks competing for the job
West Virginia has several quarterbacks competing for the starting job, including some left-handed options. Nicco Marchiol and Jayden Henderson are among the quarterbacks in the mix. Rodriguez pointed out that the handedness of the quarterback doesn’t matter much in their offensive system. The team plans to run plays that can be executed by both left- and right-handed quarterbacks. This means the offense will be flexible no matter who ends up starting.
Rodriguez explained that using the shotgun formation has slightly changed how they view the front and backside, but the plays remain the same. He plans to focus on finding the best quarterbacks for the offense, no matter if they are left- or right-handed.
While it is possible that one quarterback may stand out as the clear favorite, Rodriguez expects the decision to take time. The Mountaineers have six quarterbacks practicing, and Rodriguez wants to give all of them an equal opportunity to show what they can do. “We’re trying to give everyone a fair amount of reps,” he said. “It’s hard to do, but we’re trying.”
Unless one quarterback truly separates themselves from the rest, the decision may take longer than expected. Rodriguez plans to continue the competition, confident that the best player will eventually stand out. The coaching staff will continue to evaluate every quarterback closely, as the team works to build depth at the position.
