WVU HC Neal Brown Does Not Plan to Name Starting QB Until Fall

With spring ball starting this week, head coach Neal Brown responded to the main question that will loom over this West Virginia football team until it is answered.

During his Monday press conference to kickoff spring practices, Brown, who is entering his fifth season at WVU, addressed the competition between Garrett Greene and Nicco Marchiol for the starting quarterback position. He made it clear he will not be naming a starter any time soon.

Brown said he does not plan to announce his Week 1 stater until the Fall camp at the earliest. “I’m playing the long game with this,” said Brown. This should not come as a surprise to those who have payed attention to how Brown has operated over the years. He did not name his starting quarterback to open the 2022 season until days before kickoff of the Backyard Brawl on Sept. 1 last year.

WVU HC Neal Brown says he does not plan to announce any decision on the starting quarterback until Fall camp at the earliest. He mentioned he’s playing the long game with this.

— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) March 20, 2023

Brown did acknowledge the West Virginia offense will look different, regardless who ends up being under center in State College against Penn State. He mentioned this is due to both Greene and Marchiol possessing the ability to be more of a dual threat quarterback who can also be productive on the ground.

No matter what happens, the 2023 season will mark Brown’s first with a homegrown starting quarterback. Brown did speak on this, saying “it’s a testament to those guys (Greene and Marchiol)” when asked why WVU made the decision early in the offseason to not pursue an established transfer quarterback.

Greene had his coming out party against Oklahoma, leading the Mountaineers to the program’s first win over the Sooners since joining the Big 12. This excited fans and even notable alums. Marchiol then played well to close the season with a win against Oklahoma State. While they both were far from perfect, it will be interesting to see how they do with first team reps and a full offseason of preparing as if they are the stater.

While likely at the top of the mind of most Mountaineer fans, the quarterback battle is just one of several key storylines to keep an eye on as spring ball begins.

6 Storylines to Follow as West Virginia Football Spring Ball Gets Underway