Surprise Twist? Rich Rod Unexpectedly Mentions a Third Name in WVU's QB Battle

Scotty Fox Jr. or Oklahoma transfer Michael Hawkins Jr. will trot out onto the field for the first snap West Virginia takes on September 5th against Coastal Carolina, right? Right?

Slow your roll, at least for now.

Just like he did a year ago, WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez isn't limiting this competition to just two people in the spring. When asked about his first impressions of Hawkins Jr., he happened to unexpectedly mention a third name who is in the mix.

“I knew about him from watching him a little bit, and obviously, we had some guys that were at Oklahoma that saw him in person and who he was as an athlete, who he was as a person. We wanted somebody to come in and compete with Scotty (Fox) and Max (Brown) for the job, and somebody that had the skillset to be special, and Mike has that. He’s shown that so far. He’s a smart guy. It’s really important to him. He works hard. He and Scotty, and Max too, have done a really good job of taking another step. This spring is going to be really important to him, but he has all the skills that you want in a quarterback — he can run, he can throw, he’s smart, he’s competitive.”

Max Brown? Really???

Sep 6, 2025; Athens, Ohio, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Max Brown (6) warms up prior to their game against the Ohio Bobcats at Peden Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

With all due respect to Brown, who remained loyal to WVU despite being a long shot to win the job heading into his senior year, this isn't happening.

I guess I should never say never, but it would be the upset of the century in terms of West Virginia quarterback battles. Hawkins is the guy they identified in the transfer portal who could not only improve the room but perhaps be the guy Rodriguez builds this offense around.

Scotty Fox Jr. played fairly well as a true freshman, posting two 300-yard performances and helping the Mountaineers to their first road win over a Top 25 team in seven years. I don't like putting words in the head coach's mouth, but he's the only legit competition Hawkins has, if we're being honest.

Brown has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, be it at Florida, Charlotte, or West Virginia, and it has hindered his development. He's a talented athlete who can help this QB room, but much of his assistance will be on the sideline with a headset on.

To Rodriguez's defense, he probably wanted to include Brown because of his loyalty, while also encouraging the entire group of QBs to put their best foot forward. What's the point of naming a starting QB in March or trimming it down to two publicly, even if you know it's going to be Hawkins vs. Fox? You want Brown and the other quarterbacks engaged and developing because you never know how things are going to go. I mean, just look at the injury situation the Mountaineers had there this past season, for example.