With 1:14 to play this past Saturday, Zach Frazier walked on to the field not knowing it could have been his final drive in a West Virginia uniform.
Trailing by four, Frazier had one goal in mind — to score a touchdown and win.
“This is how smart he is and how tough he is — he had an injury that’s significant, not something that’s going to be long term, but he probably won’t play in the bowl game. He limps off because he knows it’s a 10-second runoff if he stays down. He’s got a lower leg injury and he limps off on one leg to avoid a 10-second run off,” West Virginia head coach Neal Brown said.
On the first play of ultimate game-winning drive, West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene flipped a screen pass to wide receiver Hudson Clement. The ball was just thrown one yard past the line of scrimmage, and immediately Frazier gets behind Clement, picking him up and carrying him six more yards down the field, before Clement ultimately got the first down.
As Clement was hurrying back to the line of scrimmage, trying to get the next play ran, Frazier was not joining his fellow West Virginian.
Instead, the Fairmont native could be seen grabbing at his left leg. And instead of staying down, Frazier crawled to the West Virginia sideline.
It seemed like he knew, Frazier did, that it was the end. He could be seen on the television broadcast screaming in frustration before going straight to the ground.
Five plays later Greene connected with Jahiem White for a go-ahead touchdown pass which ultimately was the deciding factor in WVU’s 34-31 win over Baylor to end the regular season, however the intelligence of Frazier to get off the field, save 10 seconds for the offense did not go unnoticed.
“The normal person really doesn’t realize that but that’s the type of kid he is. He’s as selfless as they come. 10 seconds could’ve been the difference today. I love him and I’d do anything for him,” Greene said of his center.
Greene and Frazier’s bond has been a close one for the first-year starting quarterback with the veteran center. Greene and Frazier both entered the program in 2020, but this is their first full year playing together.
“I want to say, my thoughts and prayers are with Zach Frazier. He’s one of my best friends up here. To see that happen to a guy like that. He does everything right, it really just breaks my heart,” Greene said. “I’m probably not going to enjoy this win as much as I should just because of how much he means to me, how much he means to this entire program and state.”
Frazier’s chapter at WVU is likely complete.
Considered one of the best centers in college football, Frazier is likely going to head to the NFL Draft this spring. He already accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl, but he never fully made his intentions clear on whether or not he was going to go to the NFL Draft this spring..
“I just take it one game at a time. I’ll probably make a decision after the season,” Frazier said in November about the possibility of returning for his final year of eligibility.
Frazier’s position on the offensive line fits him, and Frazier’s selflessness to put winning at the highest priority could be seen before that last drive Saturday.
“I plan on doing this for a long time, I don’t know if I’ll ever coach a center that’s better,” Brown said. “I’ve had a lot of good players, but I’ve never coached one better. Just really fortunate, kind of bittersweet really. We win the game at the end but he gets hurt. My level of excitement is subdued because of that.”
Frazier made a name for himself at Fairmont Senior. 47 games and 46 starts later, it could all end on a play which exemplifies who Frazier is as a player, a teammate, and as a person.
