Between The Eers: The Reason Why West Virginia Has QB Controversy

Originally posted on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 10:24 AM ET

As we enter Week 3, the West Virginia Mountaineers still have a lot of uncertainty at the quarterback position. Nicco Marchiol didn't play well, and the numbers suggest that. Many are pointing the finger at the offensive line, and while they didn't play well either, the majority of their issues were in the run game and not pass protection.

Last week, Marchiol ranked 37th in the FBS in average time to throw (minimum 20 dropbacks), which is higher than Pitt's Eli Holstein, who threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns on a MAC defense.

When there was pressure, Marchiol didn't have the ability to evade it and make something happen. The fact that he's the guy Rich Rodriguez trusts most is problematic when the offensive line can't be relied on.

Where do they go from here? Will it be Marchiol again? Jaylen Henderson? Max Brown? Or maybe one of the young pups?

"No, I'm not naming anything because we've got a long week of doing practice and evaluating our guys," Rodriguez said. "I thought Jaylen (Henderson), we were looking for a little spark, and the best play he had, we got called back because of a penalty. He got a couple of series there, but he's still in the mix, as is some of those other guys. We'll see."

On today's episode of Between The Eers, I break down Marchiol's struggles vs. Ohio and predict what the plan will be vs. Pitt.

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