MORGANTOWN — On Monday afternoon, West Virginia quarterbacks Jaylen Henderson and Nicco Marchiol posted on social media workouts of them throwing at two different sites. Marchiol was throwing with a backdrop of blue skies in what appeared to be Arizona at Banner Sports Medicine Facility. While Henderson was in more of a foggy location.
Both are working hard in the offseason, attempting to secure the starting role come fall. Rich Rodriguez didn’t announce a starting quarterback in the spring and said the whole quarterback room was competing. At the time, it was more, but now, six quarterbacks are battling.
However, the favorites to become the signal caller are the veterans Henderson and Marchiol.
Henderson just graduated in the spring and has had an up-and-down career so far. He played two seasons with Fresno State and then two years at Texas A&M. With the Aggies, Henderson only saw action in 2023, starting the final four games. He’s looking to prove he can earn a starting spot once again.
Rodriguez brought in Henderson in the winter portal period as one of his two quarterbacks to restart his tenure at Morgantown.
Rodriguez didn’t recruit Marchiol. Marchiol was recruited by former WVU coach Neal Brown. In some cases, Marchiol was recruited, though, because he could’ve entered the portal, but Rodriguez won him over, keeping him with the Mountaineers.
Marchiol’s been the starting quarterback for West Virginia already. Other than seeing action in garbage time, Marchiol started and secured a win over Arizona when starter Garrett Greene was banged up with an upper-body injury last year.
Marchiol seems like he has the right to the throne. But Rodriguez wasn’t sure about what he saw and added two quarterbacks to compete with Marchiol in the winter portal.
Rodriguez was strategic about the competition this spring. With the portal and NIL, most players either transfer for more playing time or more money. Rodriguez strategically never named a starter and split snaps between all the quarterbacks, so all of them saw action.
In an interview with ESPN’s college football insider, Pete Thamel, Pat McAfee, one of the biggest supporters of West Virginia football, still doesn’t know the starter. Thamel didn’t know either.
Rodriguez’s plan worked, and only one quarterback was left, leaving six. He also liked what he saw enough from all his quarterbacks this spring and didn’t add another. One of the only positions he didn’t add to.
Based on what was shown during the spring game, it appeared Marchiol was the favorite to start, coming out first to take snaps. He was followed next drive by Henderson. But, it could all be a disguise to keep everyone questioning.
Henderson struggled during the spring game. He overthrew receivers and threw an interception. Marchiol didn’t have too many drives, but was more consistent.
Rodriguez said after the game that the spring game wasn’t going to be used too much in evaluation, but it was the last time the coach was allowed to coach his QBs until summer practices start up.
For now, the only time Rodriguez can see his quarterbacks is what’s posted on social media in workouts with outside coaches. Both quarterbacks are still competing even when no one is watching, which should be a positive for West Virginia fans, even without having a clear-cut starter to root for.
It’ll probably be deep into August before fans find out and Rodriguez finally names a starter.
