West Virginia is seeking a better start to Year 2 of Rich Rodriguez’s second tenure leading the program when it faces Coastal Carolina on Saturday afternoon in Morgantown, W. Va.
The Mountaineers are coming off a 4-8 season last year, including just two Big 12 wins. While Rodriguez hasn’t yet named a starting quarterback, it has been reported that Oklahoma transfer Michael Hawkins Jr. beat out returning QB Scotty Fox Jr. for the job.
Rodriguez, though, is keeping mum about an official announcement.
“I know who is going to start, but why tell (everyone)? Why let them have any idea who to prepare for? I don’t think that’s a big deal anyway,” Rodriguez said on his weekly radio show. “In my opinion, we have two guys in Scotty Fox and Mike Hawkins that I consider the guys that could start.”
Fox started five games as a freshman last season and threw seven touchdown passes. Hawkins saw some action at Oklahoma after John Mateer was sidelined by surgery. With Mateer healthy again, Hawkins sought more playing time elsewhere and is expected to be the starter.
The new quarterback will look to turn around an offense that ranked 14th among 16 Big 12 teams in total offense last season (349.5 yards per game).
Coastal Carolina enters the season with new coach Ryan Beard, who arrived from Missouri State after Tim Beck was fired last November following three seasons and a 20-18 record. Beard, like Rodriguez, had yet to name a starting quarterback for the Chanticleers early in the week.
There are five quarterbacks in the running for the job.
“Everybody’s ready for that answer,” Beard said at his Aug. 31 news conference. “I think we’ll get in the huddle, then we’ll break out and go, and that will be the guy.”
Deuce Bailey is among the candidates after following Beard from Missouri State. Transfers Tre Guerra and Trever Jackson are also in the mix as experienced quarterbacks, along with freshmen Osiris Lopez and Luke McBride.
Coastal Carolina revamped its roster with 43 additions via the transfer portal, emphasizing defense after a tough season on that side of the ball. The Chanticleers finished 132nd out of 136 FBS teams in total defense (443.8 yards per game allowed) last season.