WVU quarterback Nicco Marchiol said it himself after the win in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday against Pittsburgh, backup quarterback in football is one of the most challenging and interesting positions in sports.
Not only is the backup passeer required to prepare like they are the starter, their number can be called upon at any single moment in a game, most usually due to injury.
"You prep just like you're the starter, all week, every rep, and you may not do anything for three and a half hours but that's the job and the role I play," Marchiol said. "I'm happy to come out on top."
In the 17-6 victory over the Panthers, West Virginia thrusted Marchiol into a high leverage moment and he managed the game well. After an injury to starting quarterback Garrett Greene, the sophomore signal caller was forced to take the reins and lead the team to a win and although it wasn't pretty, he did just that.
The offense did struggle overall, but mostly not due to a product of Marchiol's performance. The Mountaineers came away with 211 total offensive yards where the sophomore only completed six of nine passes for 60 yards and a touchdown.
However, when you needed to manage field position, time of possession, and consistency in a hard-fought battle like the Backyard Brawl, WVU got everything it needed from Marchiol and by providing a support group around him in this situation, the game was a massive learning experience.
"I was talking to him [Greene] after every drive, getting on the phone with the coaches up top, and just as much help as I could get. Anytime someone's willing to give me a pointer or tell me something they see, I'm all ears," Marchiol said.
This game transcends just the landmark that it was for Marchiol's career because it's also a step towards developing his future. It's experiences that are important to the young passer and it's experience that will allow him to continue to grow.
"I think life is all about experiences, it's about repetition and seeing the same thing over and over until you're unconsciously competent. That's the portion that I'll continue to get better at as I get more repetitions throughout the week," Marchiol said. "Life is all about experiences and everything helped me be confident tonight."
After this game, regardless of statistics, Marchiol has cemented himself with West Virginia's football history, taking home the first victory in Morgantown over its arch-rivals since 2011 and he's glad to have done it for the people of this state.
"I've become pretty accustomed to the rivalry here and I understand it pretty well. It means a lot to people around here and it's an honor to be able to go out there and win that one for the state of West Virginia."
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