WVU QB Michael Hawkins Jr. working on improving his deep passing in second half of season
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MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. had a receiver over the middle of the field and took a shot. Hawkins sailed the pass over his head, which would've been a walk-in touchdown. It was a hard pass, but one you'd like to make as a quarterback.
In a boat race against Arizona, Hawkins was asked to throw the most this season. He threw the ball 28 times, which was five more than in the shootout the previous week in Ames. Hawkins went 11 for 28, resulting in his worst completion percentage of the season.
"There were a couple throws that weren’t the most accurate that he missed on a little bit," Rich Rodriguez said. "Some of that could have been technique-wise or foundation where his feet were set."
There's no question Hawkins is a capable rusher. He leads the country in rushing yards for a quarterback and is 100-plus yards above second place. Hawkins is second for a quarterback in yards per carry and is second in the FBS in total touchdowns. Hawkins is a perfect fit for Rodriguez's run-heavy offense.
But Hawkins still has to throw, especially when teams eventually stop the run. There were a couple of times this season where Hawkins missed on the deep throws, and he knows he'd like to have them back.
Rodriguez knows that, too, but he thinks Hawkins is at least making the right throws.
"But the first thing you wonder, you look at, in the passing game is: are we making the right decision? Are we throwing it to the right guy? Are our eyes in the right spot? He’s been really good with that for a first year in the system," Rodriguez said.
This is Rodriguez's first rodeo developing a talented rushing quarterback into a passer. He did it quite a bit in his first time coaching the Mountaineers in the early 2000s. Legendary quarterback Pat White wasn't the best passer when he stepped on campus. But White was electric carrying the ball.
Rodriguez said White was a little bit different of a situation. White redshirted his first season, and really started playing in Year 2. Hawkins is six games into his first year in the system, so he's a bit behind in that aspect.
Rodriguez also pointed out how White became more comfortable because the offense was running the ball so effectively.
"We were running the ball so well back then too that whenever we threw a pass, it was usually going to be wide open, right? Because they were playing the run," Rodriguez said.
WVU is running the ball successfully this year, too. The Mountaineers are fourth in the country in rushing, sitting behind just the military academies. Like in the early 2000s, opponents will start to bring more help up front to stop the run, leaving the middle of the field open for passes.
"We’re going to have plenty of opportunities, because if we can run the ball pretty good, they’re going to bring you down and force you to throw and give you some big play opportunities," Rodriguez said. "We’ve hit on a few of them, but there’s going to be a few more out there."
Rodriguez sees similarities in Hawkins and White's progression. Like Hawkins, White was decisive with the football and really accurate on the short and medium throws. It's just some of the deep throws where the two misfired.
Hawkins continues to practice more on those deep shots, and he's hit a few already this season. He has hit receiver D.J. Epps multiple times for 40-plus-yard touchdowns, and put the ball in the basket against Virginia.
Now, it's just getting to the point where Hawkins is consistent. He's a redshirt sophomore, so if he sticks around, like White, he should only get better.
"I think his game is going to continue to grow," Rodriguez said. "He’s a really competitive guy in a quiet way. I’m excited for his future."