West Virginia linebacker Reid Carrico, one of the Mountaineers’ few players that are locked into a starting job, tackles a Baylor player during a game last season in Morgantown. (Photo by Kevin Kinder/BlueGoldNews.com)

Through the spring, the summer, and into fall camp, the biggest question was who West Virginia’s starting quarterback was going to be. Was it going to be returner Nicco Marchiol, Texas A&M transfer Jaylen Henderson, Charlotte and Florida transfer Max Brown, or returner Scottie Fox?

Rich Rodriguez said all quarterbacks were battling for a starting spot, and he won’t let the public know until they find out when the offense takes the field for the first time against Robert Morris.

Rodriguez found a way to keep the battle still even when he had to release the depth chart.

During Rodriguez’s radio show Monday, he said when the depth chart was released, don’t be surprised if there are a lot of “ORs,” meaning that position is shared. He wasn’t kidding. When WVU released its depth chart, it had 13 “ORs” listed.

The most? Of course, it was at quarterback, where the starting quarterback is listed as Marchiol, or Henderson, or Brown, or Fox, or Khalil Wilkins. Five out of the seven quarterbacks on the roster are listed as starting quarterbacks.

“When you release the depth chart, and you see a lot of ‘Ors,'” Rodriguez said. “It’s not my strategic plan to not let them know who’s starting. It’s truly or. It’s him, or him, or him, or him.”

The quarterbacks are listed in a certain way on the depth chart, despite everyone having an “or” next to their name. It could be random, but based on the projections, it could have some merit.

Rodriguez isn’t truly sure who the starting quarterback is going to be. Luckily, Robert Morris is the perfect team to have “Ors.” The Mountaineers opened as 38.5-point favorites over the FCS squad, and one of the reasons to play and pay a weaker team is to dust off the cobwebs and iron out the kinks, seeing how each player actually plays in a game.

There should be fewer “Ors” next week against Ohio. They might not all be eradicated because Rodriguez also said on his radio show that WVU could play multiple quarterbacks well beyond Week 1.

“You don’t know a guy may come out and just play so well and be so dynamic, or whatever at whatever the position is,” Rodriguez said. “Gosh, we thought he was pretty good, and he’s even better. Or, we thought this guy was ready, and maybe he’s not quite ready. Maybe it’ll take a couple more weeks for him to get ready. That’s what we’re you find out the beginning of each season.”

After the quarterbacks, the next position to look at is linebacker to see who will lead this complex Zac Alley defense. There are no “Ors” for starting linebacker. Returner Reid Carrico gets the nod at Mike linebacker, and Colorado State transfer Chase Wilson will play Will. Wilson received praise from Rodriguez during his radio show about how he was a player who caught his eye during practice this week.

Even with Carrico and Wilson listed as starters, Alley said all the linebackers listed below them could run the defense, too.

“Anybody that’s out there, if you play linebacker in the system, you know your job is to get everybody lined up, to communicate, to hold them to a standard,” Alley said. “If they’re not lined up right, you fix it. They don’t have the call. You get them the call. That’s what All-Americans do. If you want to be the best at that spot. That’s who they got to be. Obviously, Reed, Chase bring a lot to that. Ben [Bogle] and Ashton [Woods], and all the rest of the guys in there, I feel good about that, and that’s certainly something that’s been emphasized. They know that’s the expectation. It’s not one guy, it’s the group. Absolutely, there’s a lot of stuff happening out there. It’s going fast, so everyone’s got to talk.”

Bandit is Wyoming transfer Braden Siders, and nickel is Jacksonville State transfer Fred Perry. The rest of the secondary is Nevada transfer Michael Coats Jr. at left corner, and Appalachian State transfer Jason Chambers on the other side. Sophomore Israel Boyce gets the go-ahead at free safety and Akron transfer Darrian Lewis rounds out the secondary as the other safety.

There’s no Jimmori Robinson listed for the first game at defensive line as he still battles with eligibility issues, but newly eligible safety Justin Harrington backs up Lewis, and Idaho State transfer wide receiver Jeff Weimer is joint with Justin Smith-Brown as backup at X. Running back Tye Edwards isn’t listed on the depth chart after he was recently announced as eligible.

Other notable positions

Jaden Bray, Cam Vaughn, and it’ll be either Rodney Gallagher, Oran Singleton Jr. or Jarod Bowie at slot, making up the starting receivers. Returner Preston Fox will return both punts and kickoffs.

There is a battle at tight end between Northern Illinois transfer Grayson Barnes and Jacksonville State transfer Jacob Barrick.

The offensive line doesn’t have any “Ors.” Redshirt sophomore Nick Krahe will play left tackle, Tulsa transfer Walter Young Bear at left guard, returner Landen Livingston at center, LSU transfer Kimo Makane’ole at right guard and Arkansas transfer Ty’Kieast Crawford at right tackle.

The D-line is also filled out without “Ors.” Missouri transfer Eddie Kelly at defensive end, returner Edward Vesterinen at tackle, Hammond Russell at nose guard and Siders will play bandit.

Coastal Carolina kicker Kade Hensley is WVU’s place kicker, but Tulane transfer Ethan Head will kick off. Oliver Straw will return as punter and will hold.