Football, Sports, WVU Sports

Jake Spavital to coach bowl game

MORGANTOWN — Departing West Virginia offensive coordinator and new Texas State head coach Jake Spavital will stay with the Mountaineers for their bowl game.

Spavital told Shehan Jeyarajah of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine that he wants to stick around for the final game of the season — and has a preferred destination.

San Antonio is about 50 miles from Texas State’s San Marcos campus, which would make matters much easier if he decides not to take the team plane back to Morgantown after the game.

Spavital was formally introduced as the Bobcats new head coach Friday morning, promising an “exciting, up-tempo brand of football” to Texas State fans. He also thanked West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen for the opportunity to be WVU’s offensive coordinator.

Spavital’s decision to call plays in West Virginia’s bowl game would certainly seem to enhance the chances that quarterback Will Grier will play. The quarterback and coordinator are close-knit, and Spavital’s decision to call the game sends a message of potentially going out with a bang.

Grier has not yet announced a decision on whether he will play, which is little surprise given that WVU’s opponent and destination have not been announced, either.

“It honestly hasn’t been on my mind,” Grier said following West Virginia’s 59-56 loss to Oklahoma. “I was planning on playing next weekend and haven’t had a thought otherwise.”