What Rich Rodriguez’s 8 Previous D-I Stops Say About WVU’s QB Plan and Projected Production

Year one for a new head coach is always interesting. You have a blend of excitement and worry, understanding you have no idea what you truly have until you take the field against another opponent.

Next Saturday, we'll see Rich Rodriguez back on the sidelines in Morgantown as West Virginia opens the 2025 campaign against Robert Morris. Still, we have no clue as to who will start the game at quarterback and how many he plans on playing. Assuming the game gets out of hand, which it should, we'll likely see two guys under center, possibly three.

If you comb through the history of Rodriguez's first year at every stop at the Division I level, you'll notice a trend — multiple QBs play. That could be the case here this season with Nicco Marchiol, Jaylen Henderson, and Max Brown all having some experience at the collegiate level.

Another thing you'll notice is that throwing the ball has been a bit of a chore in year one, with many of his quarterbacks living in the mid-50s in terms of completion percentage. At his eight D-I stops, only three QBs finished the season at 60% or higher: Brandon Streeter (Clemson), Matt Scott (Arizona), and Chandler Rogers (UL Monroe). It's also worth noting Streeter split time with Woodrow Dantzler that season.

We all know Rich Rod typically has a run-first approach, and that showed up especially in year one at each stop. There were only two instances where his quarterback threw for 20 or more touchdowns. Shaun King (Tulane) and Matt Scott (Arizona). In years where multiple quarterbacks played, they never combined to reach the 20 mark.

Here's a timeline of how quarterbacks have done in Rodriguez's first year at a Division I program.

1997 - Shaun King, Tulane