At quarterback, WVU searching for backup

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There are no questions as to which quarterback will start for West Virginia this fall.

No, that has been settled since senior signal caller Will Grier announced that he was bypassing an opportunity to enter the NFL Draft to return to Morgantown. Listed amongst practically every major offensive award across the college football landscape, there is little concern at the top.

But what about behind Grier?

That’s where things at least get a little interesting.

Fortunately for West Virginia, it should only become an issue in late game situations unless something would happen to Grier but that alone makes the job an important one heading into the season especially after what unfolded last year.

Grier broke one of his fingers on his throwing hand forcing then backup Chris Chugunov into the starting role over the final three games, all losses by the Mountaineers as the offense sputtered.

This season, redshirt sophomore Miami transfer Jack Allison is competing with true freshman Trey Lowe to see who will claim that job and both players participated in the spring and summer with the team.

“We had a good summer. Spent a lot of time with those guys and they were eager to meet and learn,” offensive coordinator Jake Spavital said. “We did a lot of board work and video work where I think from a communication and operational standpoint they’re really good.”

That last part of the equation is especially important because once a quarterback is able to get down the communication aspect of the process to make it second nature, the focus can shift to actual execution. That’s where repetition comes into play in order to get better and better.

In that regard, Allison has put together some solid practice sessions according to Spavital. While he has always flashed a big arm, consistency has been the aspect that has escaped him. Through the course of the spring that part of his game was a roller coaster going up and down.

That hasn’t been the case through the early stages of fall camp.

“He’s got the arm strength, that’s still there, but his decision making and understanding of the offense is where he’s put a lot of work in over the summer,” Spavital said. “He’s comfortable with what we’re doing and he has to continue that consistency.”

As for Lowe, he is being held to a standard of being a redshirt sophomore instead of a true freshman and he has taken the time to dive head first into doing the things needed to do to improve.

“He comes to work every single day and it makes it comforting to me that he’s asking questions,” Spavital said.

As for who gets the nod? Right now the battle is “about the same,” between the two and even with the new redshirt rule in place that would allow the coaches to play Lowe in four games without exhausting a year of eligibility the plan is to pick the best one and rep him the most.

That means don’t expect Allison to cede snaps to Lowe if he emerges as the front runner in large part because each of those reps could prove critical for the team long term.

“If Jack is that guy we have to put the quarterback in that needs those reps in case something does happen,” Spavital said.

But ultimately the battle will boil down to which one can communicate and operate the offense while making it look as smooth as possible. That has yet to be determined.

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