Mountaineer Pride: WVU goes into second straight season with a QB battle
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It's almost like deja vu. This time last year, the media, fans and even Rich Rodriguez were trying to figure out who West Virginia's quarterback was going to be. In 2026, after a 4-8 season, the question of who the Mountaineers quarterback is going to be still looms into fall camp.
Last year, it was more of an open race with multiple horses. Rodriguez had to decide between returner Nicco Marchiol, Texas A&M transfer Jaylen Henderson, Charlotte transfer Max Brown and youngsters Khalil Wilkins and Scotty Fox Jr. Marchiol ultimately won the job, but he didn't finish the season as the starter; that'd be the true freshman Fox.
Rodriguez doesn't have as many options this season. It seems to have narrowed down to Fox, Oklahoma transfer Michael Hawkins Jr. and maybe Brown. But it sounds like it'll be either Fox or Hawkins who starts Week 1 against Coastal Carolina on Sept. 5.
Throughout the spring and into the fall, like last year, Rodriguez isn't tipping his hand on which way he's leaning, so until Game 1, or he flat-out names someone, it'll be up to speculation.
"We wanted to have competition at every position and legitimate competition, and we wanted guys that had production, not potential," Rodriguez said.
Scotty Fox Jr.
Fox is in his second season with the Mountaineers after an eventual true freshman season. He wasn't Rodriguez's recruit. Fox decided to stay after Neal Brown, who recruited him, was fired. The Mentor, Ohio, native was a consensus 3-star and rated as the No. 55 quarterback for the class of 2025.
Starting in Year 1 wasn't what was expected in a true freshman. But after all the injuries ahead of him, Fox was the only healthy option left. He played in garbage time while the other quarterbacks were still healthy. His first snaps were in the season-opener against Robert Morris, and he took off for a 59-yard touchdown.
Fox made his next appearance against Pitt, where Rodriguez was looking for a spark when the offense was stagnant. He threw back-to-back interceptions. Fox came in against BYU next in garbage time and threw a touchdown.
There were ups and downs. But after the UCF game, Rodriguez had no choice but Fox. Fox started the last five games of the season. He went 2-3 as a starter, including upsetting Houston on the road. Fox even took Arizona State on the road down to the wire and set the WVU true freshman record for passing yards in a game (353).
Fox ended his true freshman year throwing for 1,276 yards, which surpassed Fred Wyant (867) for most passing yards in a season by a true freshman quarterback in program history, and threw for seven scores. Fox also carried the ball 84 times for 201 yards and three touchdowns.
Fox had an efficient freshman season, but it wasn't enough for Rodriguez to put all his money on him.
"So at the quarterback spot, Scotty is coming back," Rodriguez said. "He played as a really young true freshman last year and competed well. He's gotten better."
Michael Hawkins Jr.
Instead of going all-in on Fox, Rodriguez spent a lot of cash in the transfer portal on Oklahoma transfer redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. Hawkins had a similar career so far to Fox with the Sooners.
Hawkins was a higher-rated high school recruit in the 2024 class. He was a consensus 4-star and the 20th-ranked quarterback in the class. Hawkins had a lot of talent as a dual-threat quarterback.
Right away, Hawkins was asked to play, like Fox. Hawkins saw action in garbage time, playing in seven games, but he started in four against Auburn, Texas, South Carolina and in a bowl game against Navy. He went 1-3 as a starter.
The Auburn game was the only game he won as a starter. Like Fox, Hawkins took off for a 48-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Hawkins didn't put up big numbers through the air, throwing for 161 yards, completing 10 of 15 passes and didn't have a passing touchdown.
He finished the year completing 63% of his passes, had 783 air yards, rushed for another 204 and had four total touchdowns.
But what the true freshman did in Year 1 wasn't enough for head coach Brent Venables to trust him the following year. Venables brought in John Mateer from Washington State. Mateer took the starting job and was a Heisman Trophy candidate before he was injured in a game.
Hawkins was the backup for Mateer. He only played in two games, and played a majority against Kent State. Hawkins completed 14 of 24 passes, threw for 162 yards and three touchdowns.
Hawkins has the attributes to be a Rodriguez-style quarterback. He's a true dual threat, so running the read option could be scary. But, according to Oklahoma beat writers, Hawkins struggled with throwing consistently. And, Rodriguez learned quickly that if your defense can't get a stop and you dig yourself into a hole, you need a quarterback who can push the field vertically. If Hawkins can do that, he might be the best fit to be quarterback.
Hawkins is still learning the offense. He's learning it quickly, according to Rodriguez, making his case to start Week 1.
"We wanted a guy that we think can compete for the starting job and maybe take us to another whole level, and that was Mike Hawkins, who had a great spring," Rodriguez said. "He can run. He can throw."