WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — After 11 spring practices, Skyler Howard has the obvious grip on West Virginia’s quarterback job.
“He is a clear-cut No.1,” coach Dana Holgorsen said before Saturday’s scrimmage at the Greenbrier Resort. “Not even close.”
“He’s making plays, and people believe in him. That’s what you want in a quarterback.”
Forced into action late last season following Clint Trickett’s career-ending concussion, Howard finished the K-State loss and went 1-1 as a starter against Iowa State and Texas A&M.
As a rising junior, Howard has worked with the first-team offense a large lead on redshirt freshman William Crest and early enrollees Chris Chugunov and David Sills.
“He’s a different kid. He’s operating well,” Holgorsen said. “I sure hope I’m not jinxing him right now. He looks great, His teammates believe in him. The coaches believe in him.”
Crest, the former four-star recruit, won the backup job last season before a shoulder injury led to a medical redshirt. He continues repping with the second-string offense.
“All the other kids are young kids,” Holgorsen said. “They’re freshmen and they’re going to keep getting better. How good are they get? I don’t know. We’ll keep repping the heck out of them and see how they progress.
“(Players) understand where we’re at: Is any of the young guys going to make enough plays to where they warrant a first-team rep? Right now the answer to that is no. So Skyler’s the guy.”