3:06pm: Hotline with Dave Weekley

Childress departs, further clouding WVU’s quarterback quandary

Quarterback Ford Childress, who made two starts for West Virginia last season as a redshirt freshman, has reportedly left school.

 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Saturday’s revelation that Ford Childress has left school further clouds West Virginia’s offseason quarterback situation.

A two-game starter in 2013 before a torn pectoral muscle shelved him for the season’s final eight weeks, the 6-foot-5 Childress possesses a big-time arm that made him one of the nation’s top-rated pro style quarterbacks coming out of high school. The rising sophomore could have made his case for the Mountaineers starting job during spring drills, especially with incumbent Clint Trickett slated to undergo surgery this week to remedy a torn labrum.

With Trickett reportedly facing up to a six-month rehab, West Virginia could begin spring drills with only two healthy quarterbacks—senior Paul Millard and junior college signee Skyler Howard. (In a curious connection, both hail from the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and neither held an FBS offer coming out of high school.)

One player who holds numerous major-college offers, four-star freshman recruit William Crest of Baltimore,  has been committed to WVU since last April. He is expected to sign with West Virginia next month but won’t arrive until summer.

Millard underwhelmed in three starts last season, though his extended relief appearance against Texas featured some noteworthy moments in what became a 47-40 overtime loss. Howard began last season as a virtual unknown at Riverside (Calif.) City College, before piling up 3,151 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. After receiving a late-November scholarship offer from West Virginia, he signed in December and enrolled last week.

Childress’ totals were 36-of-63 passing for 421 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. Though he won his first start 41-7 over Georgia State, the following week saw Maryland whitewash WVU 37-0 in Baltimore, a blowout jump-started by a Childress pick-six. Only after the game did head coach Dana Holgorsen and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson say they learned Childress had played through the pectoral injury.





More WVU Sports

Sports
Greene strives for improved accuracy through extra emphasis on fundamentals, mechanics
West Virginia quarterback Garett Greene felt he could've gotten more out of the 2023 season, and his completion percentage is a major reason why.
March 27, 2024 - 7:58 pm
Sports
Photo gallery: Mountaineers conduct second practice of spring football
West Virginia was outside Wednesday morning for its second practice during the first week of spring football.
March 27, 2024 - 2:54 pm
Sports
DeVries starts with $2.8 million salary over five-year deal
Compensation for new WVU men's basketball coach increases $100,000 on annual basis.
March 27, 2024 - 1:41 pm
Sports
Jamison steals home, sparks Mountaineers in 6-2 win against Akron
West Virginia claims third straight win, improves to 15-10.
March 27, 2024 - 12:31 am


Your Comments