West Virginia football prepares to see another backup QB

For the fourth time in five Big 12 Conference contests, West Virginia is set to square off against a quarterback that didn’t start the season under center for the opposition.

But that hasn’t necessarily been a good thing as the Mountaineers are 1-2 in those previous games falling to Oklahoma State and Texas Tech quarterbacked by their backup. Now, the program will get another crack at a backup quarterback with true freshman Will Howard leading Kanas State.

Howard was elevated to the starting role after Skylar Thompson was sidelined with a season-ending injury. Since taking over, the Pennsylvania native has led the Wildcats to a 3-0 record beating Texas Tech, TCU and Kansas to put his club tied atop the Big 12 standings.

Kansas State hasn’t asked him to take over games, simply play within himself and the scheme, which he continues to improve upon every week. He has only thrown 56 passes during his time on the field but has been efficient completing 33 of those with only a single interception.

Howard has thrown for 178 yards per game during that three-game stretch with 54-percent of his total yardage coming on balls thrown under 10-yards. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t possess an explosive element because he certainly has proven that.

“Has a real calm demeanor about him. He’s a big kid, strong runner and he makes two or three really difficult passes each week he’s played for explosive plays,” head coach Neal Brown said.

In the passing game, Howard has focused most of his attention to tight end Briley Moore and running back Deuce Vaughn. The latter has been explosive when given the football with 8 catches for 207 yards and a score over the last three weeks catching passes and turning them into big chunks of yards.

“He knows where his outlets are and where his help is and he’s able to use it,” secondary coach Jahmile Addae said. “The running back has been somewhat of a blanket for him in a sense where if there isn’t anything vertically, he can dump it down to a back.”

Moore also presents challenges down the seam catching seven passes over the last three weeks for 149 yards and a pair of scores. Along with Vaughn, he serves essentially as a quarterback’s best friend. He also has displayed an understanding of where to go with the football pre-snap showing that he recognizes what defense are trying to do to him.

“Any quarterback wants one; a tight end that can make things happen down the field and two; a running back that can catch it out of the backfield and really hurt you defensively. He has both of those things and uses them well to his credit,” Addae said.

As a runner, Howard is a big, physical option that is difficult to get to the turf. He isn’t a burner by any means but has deceptive speed at the quarterback spot. He has rushed for 123 yards on the season and all but 114 of that has come on designed runs including an 80-yarder.

“If you get to him you have to be able to get him down,” defensive line coach Jordan Lesley said.

Another week another backup and the second time West Virginia will square off against a true freshman quarterback. But this time West Virginia is hoping for better results.

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