2019 Spring Preview: Quarterbacks
Ah, yes, spring is upon us and West Virginia spring football is just now days away from waking up out of hibernation. As we head into year two of the Neal Brown era, two things must happen in 2020 - improvement and consistency.
The one area where those two things will need to come into play is at the quarterback position.
A year ago, the Mountaineers had an anemic offense, to say the least. There were no gaps for running backs to run, receivers dropped wide open passes and lacked physicality, quarterbacks made mistake after mistake and Neal Brown was on the sideline ready to pull his hair out.
Oklahoma transfer Austin Kendall won the starting job out of fall camp while beating out Jack Allison, Trey Lowe, and a semi-injured Jarret Doege. He had his moments, but more often than not, Kendall found himself failing to make things happen. You can place blame around the entire offense, but Kendall had a part in the offensive struggles as well.
Toward the end of the season, head coach Neal Brown felt like there needed to be a change made at quarterback and let Jarret Doege start the final three games of the regular season. He, too, had his ups and downs and although he played well, he didn't solidify himself as being "the guy" either.
Since the Mountaineers last suited up for a game, they've seen some attrition happen in the quarterback room. Jack Allison and Trey Lowe are out and Garrett Greene and walk-on Matt Cavallaro are in. With that being said, let's take an inside look at West Virginia's current quarterback room.
Austin Kendall
For Kendall to win the starting job, he must improve his decision making and strengthen his arm. Last year he threw a lot of dead ducks that resulted in interceptions or near interceptions. A full season and off-season should be very beneficial to him and getting his hand healed will also be crucial.
Jarret Doege
During his three starts, Doege appeared to have the "it" factor to him. He had a little extra swagger to him and he exuded confidence - something Kendall seemed to have lacked. He has the strongest arm on the roster and has a quick release, along with really good footwork in the pocket and senses when the pocket is collapsing. Doege may be the prohibited favorite, but he will have to earn it.
Garrett Greene
Neal Brown landed his first high school quarterback in Garrett Greene and the hype is starting to build. The dual-threat signal caller will likely redshirt in 2020 but don't count him out to compete for the starting role as early as 2021.
Trent Jackson & Matt Cavallaro
Both are walk-ons and neither are expected to see any game action, but they will be important helping the team prepare every week on the scout team.
Projected starter: Jarret Doege
The battle between Doege and Kendall is a lot tighter than one would think. Brown likes Kendall's game and doesn't want to give up hope on him. Kendall had to battle through a hand injury and inexperienced play throughout the entire offense. However, I think Doege will have a slight advantage and secure this job in the fall.
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