December 29, 2012; Bronx, NY, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Dana Holgorsen reacts to an official
According to a report from WVMetroNews.com, West Virginia Mountaineers freshman quarterback Chavas Rawlins has decided to transfer to another school before playing a single down.
Rawlins, a Monesson, PA native, was West Virginia’s lone quarterback prospect in the 2013 recruiting class. He was also one of the most intriguing prospects due to his strong arm and blazing speed. He elected to enroll early, coming to campus in January for the spring semester.
Rawlins got in early to compete for playing time at quarterback with incumbents Paul Millard and Ford Childress, but failed to overtake either player, not seeing any time in the Gold Blue Game.
With Rawlins unable to pull ahead of Paul Millard and Ford Childress on the depth chart, he was doomed to redshirt this season. Add in the fact that WVU accepted the transfer of former Florida State quarterback Clint Trickett and the current verbal commitment of highly rated dual threat quarterback William Crest (Dunbar High School Baltimore, MD), it looked like Rawlins might become lost in the quarterback depth chart. It would have also been possible that he could have been asked to play some wide receiver to get him on the field.
According to Rawlins high school coach, Andy Pacak, Rawlins decision may be tied to the departure of quarterback coach Jake Spatival.
"“All of a sudden Jake wasn’t going to be there, and I think that had an impact,” said Pacak."
Spatival left the Mountaineers program this spring to join Texas A&M and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.
With Rawlins position coach now departed, he will reconsider his options for his four years of eligibility. The loss of Rawlins leaves the Mountaineers with three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.