COLUMN: Hawkins Jr., WVU now have opportunity to put a minor shock into the college football world
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The frizzed-out hairstyle, the black-rimmed glasses and the goatee sported by WVU quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. makes him an almost identical twin of the late great Shock G, a 1990s rapper with Digital Underground, who was better known as Humpty Hump.
Maybe that's somewhat fitting, because Shock G was never known back in the day as someone who lacked a whole lot of confidence.
"I’m steppin tall, y’all," he sang. "And just like Humpty Dumpty, ya gonna fall when the stereos pump me."
It is more of a calm and collected confidence that Hawkins has wrapped around himself, nothing too boastful.
"I don't think they've seen everything yet," he said following West Virginia's 52-7 last week against U.T. Martin. "It's kind of early in the season. I like them both (running and passing). I like to sit back there and just sling it around, but if I have to run, I'll go get it."
And the glasses, "They're for fashion," Hawkins said with a smile.
What would be truly fashionable is for Hawkins and his teammates to walk into Charlotte, N.C. this Saturday and knock off No. 25 Virginia. Here's the significance of the matchup: WVU hasn't beaten a top 25-ranked nonconference opponent since 2021.
That five-year drought has covered everything from Pitt scoring two touchdowns in the final four minutes to pull out a 38-31 win to Penn State being the better and more physical team on two different occasions.
The last WVU quarterback to experience a big nonconference win was Jarrett Doege, of all people, when the Mountaineers upset No. 15 Virginia Tech, 27-21.
If Hawkins can summon up the best of his skills against the Cavaliers (2-0), you can forget about his story just being a local one anymore. He would no longer be just another quarterback who's out there doing his thing in the Big 12, while the rest of the college football world looks in the other direction.
If there is another 71-yard touchdown run to be had or another 53-yard pass placed perfectly down the seam to D.J. Epps or any of the Mountaineers receivers against Virginia, then Hawkins will have absolutely arrived onto the college football national scene.
"But yo I’m making money, see," came the lyrics from Humpty. "So yo world, I hope ya ready for me."
In what appears - so far - to be a sort of wide open Big 12 and College Football Playoff bracket, the college football world seems more than ready for another dual threat quarterback to lead WVU back onto the national stage.
What have we really seen in the Big 12 so far? Oklahoma State has made the league's two biggest statements, both by beating then-No. 6 Oregon last week and also by getting beat by pitiful Tulsa two weeks ago.
Texas Tech has an expensive roster, but the Red Raiders don't have a quarterback. BYU looks really good, but there's a reason the major polls are reluctant to put the Cougars in the top 10. Utah might be the real deal with its own powerful offense behind quarterback Devon Dampier.
There is room right here, right now for WVU to make a move, and the young man from Dallas with the quiet confidence and an arm that is way more accurate than what we were told it was when Hawkins transferred out of Oklahoma seems to be the right guy for that moment.
Hawkins' efficiency sees him completing 76% of his passes through two weeks, yet the impact he's made is he's allowed WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez to get back to the coach he wants to be.
Through two games, Hawkins has thrown just 21 passes. Last season's starter, Nicco Marchiol, threw 20 passes in just the first game of the season and had 46 attempts through two games.
This is Hawkins and WVU running back Cam Cook allowing Rodriguez to get back to his heyday. We'll see if that's good enough against Virginia.
"I don't think they've seen everything yet." If those words by Hawkins' words are true, then things just may get pretty interesting around here.