Ford Childress Right Move For WVU

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Head Coach Dana Holgorsen made the surprising decision Thursday to make redshirt freshman quarterback Ford Childress the starter Saturday against Georgia State.

Childress got the nod from coach Holgorsen after incumbent quarterback Paul Millard proved to be inconsistent in the first two games of the season against William & Mary and Oklahoma.

Childress will have a chance to build his confidence against Georgia State which is giving up more than 400 yards a game on defense as they reclassify from the FCS to FBS this season. The move for Childress was the best move for WVU in the early part of the season where last minute changes can still be made before the teeth of the Big 12 Conference games begins against Oklahoma State on September 28.

Coach Holgorsen relayed on Thursday there will be no rotation between Childress, Millard or Florida State transfer Clint Trickett during this Saturday’s game in effort to stick with just one quarterback.

Prior to the season, Childress was effectively eliminated from the preseason quarterback competition to be named the starter as the reps in practice went solely to Millard and Trickett to run the offense.

It would have been good to see more of Trickett running the offense in a live game situation as he had a good deal of experience during his time backing up EJ Manuel during his time at Florida State in 2011 and 2012. Trickett led only two series this year in the game against William & Mary before Millard reentered the game.

In the end, coach Holgorsen needs to find that spark at the quarterback position for the Mountaineer offense if they want to make the 2013 season a good one in Morgantown.

You can catch the Mountaineers against the Georgia State Panthers of the Sun Belt Conference starting Saturday at noon on Root Sports Pittsburgh.