After holding on in an intense 31-26 game, WVU head coach Neal Brown and starting quarterback Nicco Marchiol took the headset postgame to share their thoughts.
Despite nearly blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, Brown took the moment to celebrate the win. Emphasizing WVU’s short staffed status, Brown said he was happy with the team’s perseverance on the challenging road trip.
“I’m proud of our staff, proud of our players with how we handled the trip,” Brown said.
At the center of WVU’s win on Saturday was Nicco Marchiol, the sophomore quarterback starting in place of the injured Garrett Greene for the first time this season. Brown has expressed his confidence in Marchiol previously, and he did not waiver postgame.
“(Marchiol’s) been kind of patient, waiting for his time, and he’s a winner. He plays to win,” Brown said.
Marchiol did not seem too surprised with his play either postgame. Throwing 18-for-22 for 198 yards and two touchdowns, Marchiol clearly shined in his leading role, but he credited his teammates with the win and emphasized its impact on the full team morale.
“Those are the moments we practice for all week,” Marchiol said. “My guys showed up for me big-time tonight. I’m so thrilled for us tonight. This gets us right back on track.”
One example of Marchiol trusting his teammates came early in the fourth quarter, when he found Traylon Ray deep. Ray took off for a 54-yard touchdown for what became WVU’s only score of the quarter. When asked about the pass that led to the play, Marchiol was enthusiastic, calling it a special moment for him and Ray.
“We got in that formation a couple drives earlier and we were told to look at this certain concept, and it came out, I liked the look, and I put it out where T-Ray could get it,” Marchiol said.
The Mountaineers will continue to speak on the game throughout the night and will do so again in Monday’s press conferences in Morgantown.
