MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Before Rich Rodriguez looked back on the Mountaineers’ 31-point loss at Kansas over the weekend or ahead to what awaits Saturday against Utah, the West Virginia football coach began Tuesday’s weekly media session with a lengthy injury update that suggests his team is in line to start a new quarterback in the matchup with the Utes.
Nicco Marchiol is among eight offensive players Rodriguez labeled questionable
“Nicco Marchiol, came to see us and said he had some mid-foot pain that had been bothering him a while,” Rodriguez said. “We have a great medical staff by the way. I trust them 100 percent and as a coach, I stay out of the medical part and leave it to the experts. But they have a specialist out in Colorado that he knows and he’s actually out there today getting that checked out, because he says it’s been bothering him for a couple weeks. He’s going to be questionable as well.”
Marchiol grew up in Colorado and played his first two seasons of high school football there. He has started the first four games this season and seven for his career at WVU. The left-hander played nearly three full quarters and each of the Mountaineers’ first 10 series against the Jayhawks, but West Virginia managed only three points during that time.
Jaylen Henderson relieved Marchiol late in the third quarter of the 41-10 setback and led the Mountaineers on a 95-yard drive, which he punctuated with a 13-yard touchdown run. Henderson also played the next series before giving way to redshirt freshman Khalil Wilkins for the final two possessions. Of the 324 yards West Virginia finished with against KU, 108 came with Henderson at quarterback and 179 were without Marchiol in.
True freshman Scotty Fox has played in two of four games, while redshirt junior Max Brown has yet to see game action and was out injured for the season opener against Robert Morris.
“The other four quarterbacks are going to get reps all week,” said Rodriguez, “and we’ll figure it out from there.”
Rodriguez had been giving all five aforementioned quarterbacks practice reps leading up to the contest at Kansas.
“The fourth and fifth weren’t getting as many reps, but they were getting some,” he said. “Typically, you’d only give three guys reps, but the way we practice and get so many plays in, they’re still able to get that. We don’t know how long Nicco is going to be out, but for those other four, it’s going to be an opportunity for them. They’ve done a good job staying engaged in practice. All knowing that they have a chance to play helps them stay engaged.”
Of the group, Henderson has the most power conference experience despite not playing in 2024. One year prior, the redshirt senior started the final four games at Texas A&M and completed 53-of-78 passes for 715 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions, while rushing for 104 yards and a pair of scores. Henderson also has limited experience at Fresno State from before his time with the Aggies.
Henderson has had little success in a limited passing role at WVU, completing 4-of-11 attempts for 28 yards. Wilkins and Brown have yet to attempt a pass for the Mountaineers, though Brown is 62-for-121 with 753 yards three touchdowns and seven interceptions between the 2023 season at Florida and last year at Charlotte.
Fox had a 65-yard touchdown run against RMU, but has thrown two interceptions on five passes — both in Week 3 against Pitt as Rodriguez tried to ignite a struggling offense before going back to Marchiol, who led the team to 17 points on its final three possessions and an overtime win.
“All of our quarterbacks can make all the throws. It’s a matter of throwing to the right guy at the right time and seeing and reading the defense,” Rodriguez said. “There’s a lot to quarterback play. It’s more challenging now than ever before because defenses have become more complicated. You have to be prepared for a bunch of different looks and you have to have protection and guys get open. It’s not as easy as saying we’re not doing well running, let’s just throw it. You have to be able to protect, get open and read the coverages. That’s on us as coaches to get our guys ready to do that. That’s part of us doing a better job as a staff to get our guys ready to do that.”
As for the remainder of the injury updates, Rodriguez labeled running backs Tye Edwards and Cyncir Bowers questionable. Edwards did not play at Kansas after rushing for 141 yards and three touchdowns a week earlier in the only contest he’s recorded a carry in this season. He continues to battle a hip injury and Bowers suffered a concussion at KU.
Landen Livingston appeared to suffer at least somewhat of a significant injury in the second quarter against the Jayhawks, but was also labeled questionable to face the Utes in a potentially positive development.
Offensive linemen Kimo Makane’ole and Ty’Kieast Crawford will be monitored in practice and are “questionable, maybe probable”, according to Rodriguez.
Wideout Preston Fox and tight end Jacob Barrick are also both questionable after missing the matchup with Kansas, though Rodriguez noted there’s hope for both to play.
“It’s kind of a lot and there’s been a couple really physical games,” Rodriguez said. “But it gives opportunities to other guys to come in.”
Season-ending injuries to tailback Jahiem White and wideout Jaden Bray in Week 2 at Ohio cost WVU a pair of its top playmakers.
With Edwards and Bowers battling injuries and fellow running back Kannon Katzer yet to play this season, the Mountaineers are again especially thin at tailback as they prepare to clash with the Utes.
Rodriguez says there will be an increase in reps for Diore Hubbard, while Clay Ash will continue to log his fair share. Tyler Jacklich and Andre Devine, a late offseason addition, are the only other tailbacks on the team.
That could cause Rodriguez to get more creative in how carries are distributed.
“All of the above, right? You figure out ways to get it going,” Rodriguez said. “Those are hard to come by, but always the biggest concern is the offensive line and when you get your offensive line beat up. When you’re inexperienced to start with and then the inexperience gets hurt, then you have even more inexperience coming in. We’ll figure something out.”