REPORT: WVU football expected to name Michael Hawkins Jr. starting quarterback for Coastal Carolina
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MORGANTOWN -- Rich Rodriguez couldn’t keep West Virginia football’s starting quarterback a secret forever. The Mountaineers are expected to name Oklahoma transfer redshirt sophomore Michael Hawkins Jr. its starting quarterback, per On3’s Pete Nakos. Hawkins beat out sophomore Scotty Fox Jr. for the starting spot.
Rodriguez was quiet with local media regarding who the starting quarterback would be between the two. When asked recently about the starter, Rodriguez joked no one will know until the Mountaineers march out for the first drive against Coastal Carolina, similar to last year’s quarterback conundrum.
“What time is the first game?” Rodriguez said. “Noon? You can tailgate in the blue lot until 11:58, but make sure you get in time because at noon we might be kicking off or kickoff returning, and we’ll see who runs out there. I’m gonna know before then. I may know before I tell the coaches and quarterbacks. I may know right now. Probably do.”
Rodriguez spoke about how, after the scrimmage last Saturday, Aug. 21, he was going to put a depth chart together, and before Tuesday, he'd have an idea of what players were ready to play.
Hawkins is the more experienced of the two, and just behind Max Brown in experience in the room. He played two seasons at Oklahoma in the SEC, and made multiple starts. He appeared the most as a true freshman and former 4-star in 2024. Hawkins threw for 783 yards and three touchdowns over seven games. He went 1-3 as a starter.
In 2025, Hawkins took a back seat as John Mateer took over. Hawkins was Mateer's backup and completed 15-of-27 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns last year. With Mateer returning, Hawkins hit the portal to find a place where he could start again.
Hawkins was brought in to compete with Fox for the starting job, and if he learned quickly enough, he could elevate the team.
“We wanted a guy that we think can compete for the starting job and maybe take us to another whole level, and that was Mike Hawkins, who had a great spring,” Rodriguez said. “He can run. He can throw."
Hawkins is a true dual-threat quarterback. He can push the ball vertically and is a threat with his legs, which he showed against Auburn when he took off for a 48-yard touchdown. Rodriguez needs a mobile quarterback in his offense. He runs a lot of read option, as the “father” of the play, which has the quarterback take off if the handoff to the running back is clogged up.
Rodriguez’s best years were when he had mobile quarterbacks like Pat White and Rasheed Marshall. In 2023 at Jacksonville State, the year before Rodriguez came back to WVU, Rodriguez's quarterback, Tyler Huff, carried the ball 227 times for a whopping 1,334 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Hawkins had to work for his starter spot because Fox had a year in the system and made WVU competitive down the stretch in 2025. He arrived early in the spring just after he transferred in to get a jump start in learning the offense. The first and only time Hawkins played in the gold and blue was during the spring game. He showed off his legs and made some completions, but it was hard to judge since it was against his own teammates. It wasn’t enough for Rodriguez to name him the starter then.
But Rodriguez’s said multiple times Hawkins is a fast learner and has spent a lot of his time this offseason with assistant quarterbacks coach Pat White. White was a legendary WVU quarterback during Rodriguez’s first stint in Morgantown, and will have his No. 5 jersey retired. He led the team to four-straight bowl wins.
“Just trying to pick his brain and watch games on our opponents coming up,” Hawkins told 3 Guys Before the Game. “He's definitely been a big help to me."
Hawkins closed the gap during fall practices, and he’s expected to be the starting quarterback against Coastal Carolina on Sept. 5.