Whether it's Marchiol or Greene, WVU's offense will open up

Instead, there is a competition between the right-handed Garrett Greene and the left-handed Nicco Marchiol for the starting job, each capable of bringing the Mountaineer offense into the 21st century with a zone-read offense.

How sold is coach Neal Brown on the combination of Marchiol and Greene, (or Greene and Marchiol, if you prefer?)

He gave that away this past recruiting season when he didn’t go into the transfer portal for an experienced starting quarterback, a total departure since every quarterback he has had as a starter at WVU has been a transfer.

“It speaks to how I feel about them that we didn’t go out and get a transfer quarterback, and we could have,” Brown stressed in his Monday press conference.

What does this do for the team?

“We have running quarterbacks now for the first time. Both the guys vying for the starting quarterback job are both capable of pulling the ball on any read play but also of us calling quarterback runs, which changes the game. It makes it easier from a play calling perspective and it puts pressure on the defense, especially on first and third down, where we need to improve,” Brown said.

The zone-read option is the wishbone of the 2020s, the triple-option offense of the moment. In it, the quarterback has three options — handing off, keeping and running or pulling the ball and passing.

He puts the ball into the stomach of a running back and holds it there as reads the defensive end or linebacker. He stays outside, he gives the ball inside. If the defender crashes?

Well, this is what happened in the first practice on Tuesday when Jarod Bartlett, WVU bandit, came flying at the running back on the exchange as he had done thousands of times last year in practice, for Doege and Daniels were no threat to pull the ball and run.

“The defense was diving in toward those backs today because they weren’t used to the quarterbacks doing both (run and/or throw),” offensive coordinator Scott noted. “That created a couple of explosive runs for the quarterbacks. We had no idea what would happen, because this was the first time we did it with no tight end attached and they handled that really well.”

The “they” was Marchiol and Greene. Of course, it takes more to make that work, but that plays right into WVU’s strengths.

The biggest strength is the veteran offensive line and the running backs, three of whom have 100-yard rushing games to their credit and the other has gained 90 yards in a game.

Make no doubt, WVU will be a run-heavy team this year.

“We have to play toward our strength and our strength right now is those guys up front and those guys behind them,” Scott said. “Those guys outside (the inexperienced receiving corps), they have to continue to do what they did today. They made plays today. When their number is called, they are going to have to make the play.

“We won’t be able to get through games just handing the ball off. They have to stretch the field and make sure the safety can’t just sit down there in the box. When they make those plays for us, that will make it easier for the guys in the backfield, too.”

But the threat of the run from either quarterback is what makes it go.

“The skill sets are similar,” Brown said. “They both can run the same style of stuff.”

How will the competition go?

“I don’t plan to make a decision on this until we get into fall camp,” Brown said, trying to diffuse a QB controversy in camp. “We’re playing a long game on this. We’ll split the reps with Nicco and Garrett through the spring. There will be some ups and downs on that. We’ll carry that competition through the spring, into the summer and into the fall.

“Now, if it’s really clear earlier, we’ll make a choice, but I don’t foresee that happening.”

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