What I Learned After Watching Mike Hawkins Jr.'s 2024 Game Tape

I’ve spent the last handful of months talking about how excited West Virginia fans should be about new quarterback, Mike Hawkins Jr., after hearing some very positive reviews from those inside the building, as well as speaking to people who were around him in Norman.

Over the last couple of days, I was able to watch every game that he played extensively in at Oklahoma during the 2024 season, which was his true freshman year. I had seen highlights, but this was the first time I truly did a deep dive on him, and I came away even more impressed than what I already knew.

Fits like a glove

For Rich Rodriguez's offense to be efficient and as dynamic as possible, we all know it starts with having a dual-threat quarterback, which forces the defense to play 11 on 11.

Hawkins played in a similar system at Allen High School in Texas, so much so that Rodriguez cut up plays from his high school days and compared them to some of the stuff that he will run at West Virginia during his visit back in the winter.

GM Chuck Lillie and defensive coordinator Zac Alley were at Oklahoma with him in 2024 and saw his talent on display every single day in practice, so when it came time to pursue a transfer quarterback, they pounded the table for him, knowing that he would fit this thing like a glove. It’s one thing to get a guy who fits your system, but it’s another to get someone who you can build into the future with for multiple years, and that’s what makes this Hawkins-WVU marriage so intriguing.

Elite understanding of touch/arm angles

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (9) throws a pass during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Tennessee Volunteers at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Some quarterbacks like to throw the ball 100 mph every time, regardless of where the ball is going and who it’s going to. Remember how Garrett Greene had this issue in 2023 and in parts of 2024?

That’s not the case here with Hawkins. Anything over the middle or on the perimeter comes with some zip, as it should. He’s not gonna float the ball out there, allowing a defensive back or linebacker to get there in time and make a play on the ball. There are times, though, where a little touch is needed on those plays, particularly on passes to the running back out in the flat, and he does a great job of staying as square as possible and putting just the right amount of touch on the ball to lead the back and give him a chance to do something after the catch.

Being able to throw from multiple slots has become a big thing in football in recent years, and while I wouldn’t go quite as far as saying he’s Patrick Mahomes-esque, he is fully capable of dropping down to 3/4 or sidearming it to make something happen and does so with good accuracy.

Even more importantly, he creates throwing lanes for himself when things get jumbled up in the trenches and uses his instincts to anticipate a receiver being in a certain spot, altering his arm angle to make the throw. Just when you think there is nothing there for him, he’ll keep the play alive and get the ball to his playmakers.

Never out of it with him under center

After watching each game, I went back through and clipped some of his best plays, and from the bowl game against Navy alone, I included 10 plays, eight of which were third or fourth down conversions. It was big play after big play after big play, and several of them just leave you scratching your head as to how in the world he managed to escape pressure and move the sticks.

EIGHT 3rd or 4th down conversions in this clip by Hawkins against Navy. The second play may open your eyes a tad.

Dude is so slippery. pic.twitter.com/tXjvJQKOX7
— Schuyler Callihan (@Callihan_) July 16, 2026

The same thing can be said about a handful of plays in his games against Tennessee and Auburn. 3rd & 9, 3rd & 11, 4th & 6 it doesn’t matter. A defense can never relax until they know they were able to get the stop and get off the field. Too many times, he’ll use his legs to make something happen, and sometimes it’s just to extend the play to find a receiver downfield.

The area of his game that is really intriguing, especially in this read option/RPO-heavy offense, is his ability to slip out of tackles and dance out of trouble. I lost track of the number of times he looked dead to rights in the backfield and slithered his way out to make something happen. To get him on the ground, you have to wrap up. Reaching, arm tackles, diving, or even going for the big blow are low percentage plays for a defense.

With the nation's leading rusher, Cam Cook, in the backfield with him, Hawkins will have several opportunities to pull it and rip off big runs because of all the attention that No. 4 will receive. If the pursuit of tackling Hawkins isn’t near perfect, then you can anticipate a big play happening.

The moment is never too big for him

People can read a box score and make an assumption, but when you watch the tape, and you see his body language and mannerisms, you get a much better idea as to the type of player he is. A true freshman, who was thrown into the fire against legit SEC defenses and never blinked, says a lot. Even after a bad decision or a busted play, and the Sooners were playing behind the chains, he never panicked.

There’s a calmness to him and a quiet confidence that he will get the job done regardless of the down and distance, score, or opponent. Situationally, too, his feet are so calm in the pocket, even when under duress. He has been groomed for this moment his entire life, so it’s no surprise to see that even in his first taste of action, the lights were not too bright for him.

Some context behind the South Carolina game...

This one was the one that Hawkins would like to forget. It was a short appearance for him, getting yanked after turning the ball over three times in the first quarter. The first interception he threw was a bit of a forced throw, trying to make something happen, although it was a good read by safety Nick Emmanwori. The second interception, he was met with pressure immediately and likely would’ve had a touchdown if he had just a tenth of a second or two longer to get the ball out, but he was hit as he was going through his motion, resulting in his second pick.

He also had a fumble in this game, which went for a touchdown the other way. I’m not sure that I would say he was rattled in this outing; it was just a flurry of mistakes early, one of which wasn’t really on him, that forced Brent Venables to make a change.

Why it wasn't pretty at times

It was far from an ideal situation for Hawkins as a true freshman with several players injured across the offensive line and the skill positions. The Sooners had to rely on a bunch of youngsters at receiver and inexperienced guys up front to protect him and Jackson Arnold.

West Virginia’s offensive line in 2025 was abysmal, just not quite as abysmal as Oklahoma was in ‘24. Oklahoma allowed pressure on 30.7% of their dropbacks that season, while West Virginia, a year ago, allowed pressure in 23.8% of theirs. When you really think about it, it’s pretty remarkable that he was able to have the success that he did with that supporting cast against SEC competition as an 18-year-old.

Of course, he had the typical freshman mistakes, trying to make something happen when there wasn't much of anything there, or maybe just didn't put the ball in a good spot, but the mistakes were few and far between, especially taking the situation into account.

What to watch for

Because of his limited sample size at Oklahoma and the Sooners wanting to play it safe with him in the game, being such a young player, there is not a heavy diet of downfield throws under his belt at this level. He threw the ball further than 20 yards seven times in 2024, completing just one of those, and in 2025, he went 2/5.

It’s not a question of whether or not he is capable, as you can see with the deep ball he had against Auburn, and the strong throw from the far hash against Tennessee, the arm strength is there.

Mike Hawkins Jr. first two games seeing extensive playing time as a true freshman in 2024 (vs. Tennessee, at Auburn).

Some of his best from those two games...

The throw on that third play is a thing of beauty. pic.twitter.com/oGo979lwJX
— Schuyler Callihan (@Callihan_) July 16, 2026

I wouldn’t really consider it a weakness; I would instead label it more as an uncertainty at this level.

Also, for what it’s worth, he completed just 43.6% of his passes that did not have play action attached to them. The good news is that in this offense, there will be a ton of that, and I think it’s also safe to say that he has developed as a straight drop-back passer over the last two years.

To round this thing out on a more positive note, Hawkins has seen just about every look that a defense can possibly give him, facing those extremely multiple defenses in the SEC, in addition to Alley’s complex scheme every day in practice for a year. The Big 12 has certainly improved on that side of the ball in recent years, but is still nowhere near the level of defense that is played in the SEC, nor as multiple.

The future is extremely bright in Morgantown and Hawkins, alongside the talented freshman trio of Amari Latimer, Kevin Brown, and Matt Sieg are a big reason why. As I’ve stated numerous times before, it’s not going to be a perfect product this fall; however, we should see massive improvements across the board with this offense and Hawkins giving Rich Rod his answer at quarterback for the next 2-3 years.

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