Mike Hawkins Jr. Just Joined Pat White in a Very Exclusive WVU Club

We are not even officially a third of the way through the season and West Virginia starting quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr. is making a habit of putting his name in the same sentence as the legendary Pat White.

A week ago, Hawkins busted a 71-yard touchdown run, marking the longest by a Mountaineer quarterback since White.

In this past weekend's victory over then-25th-ranked Virginia, Hawkins became the first WVU QB since Pat to throw for two touchdowns and rush for three touchdowns in the same game. The great Ira Errett Rodgers is the only other player in program history to have accomplished that feat.

Michael Hawkins Jr. SHINED vs. no. 25 Virginia in Charlotte

🔺190 Passing Yards
🔺5 TOTAL TDS
🔺123 Rushing Yards

Highlights🎥@WVUfootball pic.twitter.com/knYP9PPkkR
— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) September 20, 2026

“Mike is a dynamic player, and I think he's going to keep getting better. I mean, it's just his 3rd game in the system," WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez said following the win in Charlotte. "Obviously, the plays he made, but his composure and his seeing what was out there, even on certain other plays, it maybe didn't hit the way we wanted to. He knew exactly what was going on. So, I think he grew a lot. I think our offense grew a lot today at certain moments, but Mike was electric. I think he showed that today, and he's got a lot of really good football in front of him too.”

QB1 is just getting started...

Sep 19, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez celebrates with West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (3) after he threw a touchdown pass during the second quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I still can't wrap my head around the narrative that was being pushed by a few folks that there was some sort of competition. Hawkins has been the guy for a while, and that's nothing against Scotty Fox Jr., who still has a bright future. Hawkins and Rich Rod are just a match made in heaven. Rodriguez needs a dynamic dual-threat at quarterback for his offense to really shine, and Hawkins needed to be in this type of offense to show what he's truly capable of.

The most exciting part for Mountaineer fans is that he is already playing like a star, and it's not even a full month into his first season in the program. He has that "it" factor. The big stage doesn't faze him, which is something we talked a lot about back in the summer. He was prepared for this moment; he just needed the opportunity.

Imagine what this offense is going to look like come November. Better yet, imagine what it will look like a year from now, when he has a full year in the system and pretty much everyone around him is still in place. The present (and future) are extremely bright in Morgantown.

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