Morgantown, West Virginia – Playing a redshirt senior instead of a redshirt freshman is safe, and Neal Brown obviously likes safe and predictable, but Jarret Doege is clearly not the answer. He wasn’t the answer at the end of the season in 2019, he wasn’t the answer in 2020 and he’s certainly not the answer now.
Doege’s startling lack of mobility in the pocket is an absolute detriment to the team and that simply isn’t going to change. His improved body fat % and hard work in the offseason were commendable, but it was very clear yesterday that he is still the same player as he’s always been and always will be.
Brown continuing to play him not only hurts the team but also just doesn’t make any sense. The narrative of “there must be a reason why Garrett Greene isn’t playing” is ridiculous and is the very reason why the Mountaineers are currently where they are.
When Doege failed miserably in last season’s bowl game, Greene should have immediately been made the starter for this season. He’s young, he’s fast, he adds an entirely new dimension to the West Virginia offense, and frankly, he can’t be any worse than Doege!
Now is the perfect time to make Garrett Greene the new starter. A game against Long Island University is the ideal situation to get him game reps and prepare him for a really big challenge the following week against a tough and talented Virginia Tech defense.
Brown’s refusal to make a change signifies a couple of things: stubbornness and a real lack of awareness, neither which are admirable traits for a head coach in college football. Putting Frankenstein (Doege) behind center again would be a slap in the face to anyone and everyone that supports the West Virginia football program.
Perhaps Garrett Greene hasn’t earned the starting quarterback role it in the eyes of Neal Brown, but he’s earned it by default.
