WVU Quarterback Nicco Marchiol is ready to be the leading man in Morgantown.
Morgantown, WV – It was bound to happen sooner or later – last Saturday, WVU Quarterback Garrett Greene went down with what was once assumed to be a serious leg injury. On West Virginia’s second drive of the game, Mountaineer Nation held their breath collectively as they watched Greene’s ankle land underneath a Pitt defender.
While the prognosis ended up as the best case scenario – with no serious damage – this injury may have just opened the door for WVU’s next great signal-caller.
Redshirt Freshman Nicco Marchiol entered the game and didn’t blink as he led the Mountaineers to a 17-6 victory over the Pitt Panthers. There wasn’t much asked of him, but when the spotlight was on him, the moment was never too big. He managed the game, led his team up and down the field, and secured the victory.
As for what this does for his future, Marchiol may have just labeled himself as the “quarterback of the future” with his solid performance against the Panthers. This does not necessarily mean that he will leapfrog Greene for the starting quarterback role when he returns from injury, or even that he will be the starter before the end of the season.
What his performance on Saturday proved was that he will be ready when called upon, no matter when that may be. Whenever the reigns are fully handed over to him, we can expect that Marchiol will take that opportunity head on and make the most of it.
For the first time in what seems like forever, the Mountaineers finally have some depth at quarterback. We can rely on whoever is in the game to make the plays necessary to win.
Don’t look now, ladies and gentlemen, but a star may be in the process of being born in Marchiol.
(Photo by WVU Athletics)
