Did WVU's Timeline to Contend Change with Nicco Marchiol's Decision to Leave?

The West Virginia Mountaineers came into the first year of the return of Rich Rodriguez, hoping for the best. The expectations were not very high, but many fans hoped WVU could remain competitive. 

Rich Rod got an epic comeback victory over Pitt to win the Backyard Brawl, but after that, it’s been very ugly. News broke on Wednesday that quarterback Nicco Marchiol would be entering the transfer portal after the 2025 season concludes, and in the meantime, WVU is set to face off against the top-25-ranked BYU on the road Friday night. 

Not many are giving WVU much of a chance after they lost in Morgantown to Utah, 48-14. It appears that redshirt freshman Khalil Wilkins is in line to get the start after Jaylen Henderson, who struggled against the Utes, has been ruled out with an injury. Wilkins came into the game after it was already out of hand, but did inspire confidence in the coaching staff. 

He threw for 63 yards and one touchdown, while also showing what he can do as a runner, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Another option could be freshman Scotty Fox Jr. Many are high on Fox being the future face of this program, so he could get action Friday night as well.

Now that WVU is forced to go young, it can really help them out in the future. Let’s face it, as much as WVU fans aren’t going to be thrilled with the result of the 2025 season, the future is all that matters at this juncture. Rich Rod came back to Morgantown to turn the program around. He came into a bad situation, and it wasn’t going to get fixed overnight. 

Had Marchiol had the protection and help around him to be successful, the Mountaineers could have been in a position to make some sort of run next year in the Big 12. Turning to Wilkins/Fox doesn't necessarily mean that can't happen, but it likely means the road bumps will continue as this young group learns, grows, and develops together. Contending by year three should still be the goal.

The bad news is that injuries have forced WVU to go younger. The good news is that it may be exactly what Rich Rod needed to do. This team isn’t going anywhere special in the meantime, but ensuring they are set up to be competitive in 2026 and beyond is pivotal. WVU fans will now look at the silver lining as they prepare to watch young players try to salvage the season.