West Virginia quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital, who developed Geno Smith for two record-setting seasons, has accepted the same post at Texas A&M, where he’ll begin working with Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.

A source within the WVU athletic department confirmed Spavital’s decision Thursday night. The Aggies’ previous quarterbacks coach, Kliff Kingsbury, left in December to become head coach at Texas Tech.

In 2009, Spavital was only two years removed from playing quarterback at Missouri State when he took a post as offensive graduate assistant at the University of Houston under Holgorsen and current Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin.

WVU photo

Jake Spavital’s departure represents the third staff change for WVU since early December.

Spavital becomes the third postseason staff change for West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen, who dismissed defensive assistants Daron Roberts (cornerbacks) and Steve Dunlap (outside linebackers/special teams).

In 2010, he served as offensive graduate assistant at Oklahoma State, working under Holgorsen when he was the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator. While Spavital, 27, is a young coach who learned in Holgorsen’s shadow, his resume will soon boast an impressive five-year span in which he worked with Case Keenum, Brandon Weeden, Smith and Manziel.

In August 2011, Smith said of Spavital: “Jake does all the dirty work. He’s an understudy, like a mini-Holgorsen, but he really gets it. He’s cool. I enjoy being around him, and he works hard.”

Spavital also made inroads as a recruiter. Among the current class of WVU commitments, Spavital was the lead recruiter on linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton, quarterback Chavas Rawlins, Zaire Williams, defensive back Daryl Worley and junior college receiver Kevin White.

Allan Taylor

ataylor@wvradio.com
@AllanTaylorWVU
Allan Taylor joined MetroNews in August 2012, following 18 years of newspaper, magazine and multimedia work as an SEC columnist, sports editor, assistant sports editor, managing editor, news reporter and media consultant.
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Comments

  • DWM

    Big Ugly,

    Had to respond on your comments about Geno. So from your recliner you've figured out that Geno got "worse and worse" the more games he played and "he was the most over-rated player in WVU history"? Simply amazing.

    Fortunately for Geno, the NFL scouts, who have spent a lifetime judging talent, whose jobs require that they do it well seem to disagree with your assessment.

    I'm not sure what success he'll achieve in the NFL because a lot of that will be determined by who selects him and the players around him. But I do know that over rated players are not made 1st, no later than second round draft choices. Mr Smith will be a wealthy man in a few months and I wish him well.

    January 11, 2013 at 10:31 am | Reply Report comment

  • Bob

    Congratulations, Jake. Well deserved promotion and good fortune to you at Aggie land.

    January 11, 2013 at 10:57 am | Reply Report comment

  • jethro

    coaches come and coaches go, its a fact of life
    all we can do is support out university and hope for the best. we are not alabama or ohio st

    January 11, 2013 at 11:01 am | Reply Report comment

  • Dave

    Recruiting will take a hit unless we get Seider NOW!

    January 11, 2013 at 11:02 am | Reply Report comment

  • Chris

    These coaches have very little to work with right now but no one thinks about that. Recruiting is the problem not the coaches esp on the defensive side.

    January 11, 2013 at 12:08 pm | Reply Report comment

  • cutty77

    Geno threw i think 10 or 20 passes short of 500 passes,and only had 6 int.Look up NCAA Stats on Offense Geno is in the top 3 in different Stats.Geno made Jake Look good.Jake took the easy way out,going to where a heisman QB is playing.This kid is so good Coaches can't screw him up.Kinda of like Rich with Pat White.Johnny Football is a White Pat White.

    January 11, 2013 at 12:16 pm | Reply Report comment

  • chad

    Does anybody remember the good old days when nobody knew or cared who the QB coach was? Man I miss those days..

    January 11, 2013 at 12:18 pm | Reply Report comment

  • Jay

    I hope wvu puts in more beer station to help the pain we will see with gibby coming back.

    This might be better than buck wild

    January 11, 2013 at 1:49 pm | Reply Report comment

  • unclec

    Seems nobody has the answer? It all comes down to team chemistry, players and coaches getting along and RESPECT THEN ADD HEART. Go eers

    January 11, 2013 at 2:09 pm | Reply Report comment

  • jk

    I to think Spavital is a good young coach and seems like a quality person, we will miss him but its a great move for him, chances are he will get a National Championship ring in the following years.

    PS Uncle Fester you got it ALL wrong

    January 11, 2013 at 3:36 pm | Reply Report comment

  • Pam

    would take rich back anyday..

    January 11, 2013 at 6:45 pm | Reply Report comment

  • shawn

    I think if I was a WVU coach and I had to listen to our negative fan base I would leave too! Our fans are the worlds worst and they run coaches off when things turn bad. It's a joke!

    January 12, 2013 at 1:18 pm | Reply Report comment

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