Mountaineers Now

Marchiol is WVU’s Clear Starter, but the Real Story Was What Came After Him

We saw four quarterbacks in Saturday's game and saw a lot of good things!
Josh Wolfe|
West Virginia University quarterback Nicco Marchiol
West Virginia University quarterback Nicco Marchiol | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

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West Virginia Mountaineers

The biggest question for West Virginia all offseason has been, who will play quarterback, and how many quarterbacks will play? Well, Saturday's game against Robert Morris gave us those answers.

Nicco Marchiol is the starer, which was announced prior to kickoff by ESPN's Pete Thamel. There is also no rotation, as Marchiol was the only quarterback to see action until the game was a blowout. After that, we got the opportunity to see three other quarterbacks in Jaylen Henderson, Scotty Fox Jr., and Khalil Wilkins. The position group put on quite the show, and graded out very well as Jed Drenning pointed out that WVU had the top three Pro Football Focus (PFF) graded quarterbacks in the Big 12.

Nicco Marchiol: PFF 93.6

Passing: 17/20 (85%), 224 yards, and one touchdown.

Rushing: 13 carries for 56 yards (4.3 yards per carry), and one touchdown.

Nicco played a near-flawless game in his debut for the 2025 season. He did a great job controlling an offense that looked like it wanted to be in a NASCAR race. The biggest part of Rich Rodriguez's offense is making the right reads, which Marchiol did all day, especially in the Run-Pass Option (RPO) game. We did not get to see them throw down the field very much, but when he did get the opportunity, he made the most of it with a beautiful 46-yard touchdown pass to Cam Vaughn. The most impressive part of that play was not the throw, though. It was pre-snap as Grayson Barnes had lined up in the incorrect spot, which led to Marchiol yelling towards him to get him lined up correctly. A small detail, but it shows how the junior quarterback was in command.

Jaylen Henderson: PFF 92.0

Passing: 0/2

Rushing: Two carries for 40 yards (20 yards per carry).

Henderson was able to get two drives in Saturday's game. He showed that he was a dynamic runner with a couple of explosive runs. His two pass attempts were a drop by Jordan McCants and a catchable ball to Colin McBee up the seam. He did lead one touchdown drive that ended with running back Cyncir Bowers scoring from 26 yards out.

Scotty Fox Jr.: PFF 97.5

Passing: 1/1 for eight yards.

Rushing: Two carries for 63 yards (31.5 yards per carry) and one touchdown.

Fox got three total snaps in Saturday's game, but he made the most of all three. His first play resulted in a four-yard carry, which was followed up by a good throw for eight yards to wide receiver Logan Ramper on an RPO. Then the highlight came, as Fox broke loose for a 59-yard touchdown run that included a mean stiff-arm.

Khalil Wilkins: PFF 43.7

Passing: No attempts.

Rushing: Two carries for 31 yards (15.5 yards per carry) and one fumble lost.

Wilkins got the last drive of the day, and tried to make the most of his opportunity. He showed his dynamic rushing ability, but fumbled on the last play of the game trying to extend the play.

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI

West Virginia Snap Counts vs. Robert Morris by Position

How West Virginia's 33 Transfers Did at Their New Schools in Week 1

Between The Eers: Downplaying the Overreactions from West Virginia's Opener

Sunday Morning Thoughts: For a Team with 82 Newcomers, It's Only Up From Here

WVU QB Nicco Marchiol Breaks Silence After Winning Starting Job: 'It Was Earned'

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Josh Wolfe
JOSH WOLFE

Josh graduated from WVU Parkersburg with a Bachelors in Business Administration. He has several years of experience in both recruiting coverage and marketing with DUB-V Nation, which is now West Virginia On SI. He's played a critical part in building the site's audience, relationships, and reach. Behind the scenes, Josh has been the mastermind of the WVU recruiting hot board and transfer tracker.

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