Following backup quarterback Garrett Greene’s breakout performance over Oklahoma on Saturday, West Virginia finds themselves with a decision to make when they host No. 19 Kansas State on Saturday.
West Virginia could give the starting job to Daniels, who has stared all 10 games for West Virginia this season, or they could turn to Greene, who passed fir 138 yards and a touchdown, to go along with 119 yards on 14 rushes and two touchdowns against Oklahoma.
Daniels has struggled as of late. In his last four games, Daniels is 61/109 passing (55.9%), with four touchdowns and six interceptions.
“Probably won’t name one,” West Virginia head coach Neal Brown said of naming a starter for West Virginia’s game against Kansas State. “I will say this, Garrett (Greene) earned the opportunity to play more. We’ll get both those guys ready.”
Greene’s performance earned him Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors, and it also showed the West Virginia coaching staff he deserves to see more of the field.
“Off Garrett’s performance, he deserves to play more. We won’t name a starter going in, but he definitely deserves to play more.”
Brown said whoever he decides to be the starting quarterback on Saturday will be supportive of the other, and says both Daniels and Greene will be able to handle the decision.
“I think everybody that’s involved are good people and then I think you just try to be transparent,” Brown said of the decision. “Every position plays multiple people besides that one usually… I think they’re all good people involved, however it goes, doesnt’ mean they’ll like it, but they’ll move forward with it.”
With two games to go in the West Virginia season, the Mountaineers have to win out in order to gain bowl eligibility. West Virginia can play young guys later in the season and keep them under the threshold of games played in order to retain their redshirt status.
One of those guys that could be seen is freshman quarterback Nicco Marchiol. Marchiol has seen the field only once this fall, completing two passes for a 32 yards and touchdown in West Virginia’s week three win over FCS Towson.
Brown said on Tuesday, he is not planning around losing, but did say Marchiol is getting more reps in practice and he could play over the final two weeks of the season.
“Potentially, I’m not saying no,” Brown said of the possibility of Marchiol seeing game action. “We’ve been getting him reps, because we want to get him ready.”
Brown added on Marchiol, “I’m impressed with how much better he’s getting.”
