CBS Sports Pegs Nicco Marchiol Toward Bottom of Big 12 Quarterback Rankings

There hasn't been an announcement made by West Virginia head football coach Rich Rodriguez in regard to who will be the starting quarterback for the Mountaineers in 2025, but the majority believes it will be redshirt junior Nicco Marchiol.

Brad Crawford of CBS Sports is among those and ranked Marchiol as the 14th-best QB in the Big 12 Conference.

"Rich Rodriguez isn't worried about who is going to produce at quarterback this fall. He hasn't picked a starter yet, but the redshirt junior will battle Texas A&M transfer Jaylen Henderson. Marchiol and Henderson both played in 2024 with mixed results. West Virginia was one of four teams at Big 12 Media Days yet to name a starter under center -- joining BYU, Oklahoma State, and Colorado."

I would like to say I disagree here, but only by a spot. A month ago, I ranked each Big 12 QB and put Marchiol a spot higher at 13th. However, with Jake Retzlaff no longer at BYU, I'd move Marchiol up one more spot and drop BYU's starter, McCae Hillstead/Treyson Bourguet. I previously had Retzlaff eleventh.

The talent and winning mindset are there for Marchiol, but it's hard to justify putting him any higher with such little experience. He'll have the right to earn that respect, given he beats out Jaylen Henderson for the starting gig.

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