The quarterback play has been a nightmare to begin the 2025 season for the WVU football team, and it's entirely possible the nightmare will not end anytime soon.
From the first game, the status at signal caller has been uncertain for the Mountaineer. From starter Nicco Marchiol not living up to the hype and having issues with being mobile enough to handle pressure in the pocket, to athletic freshman Scotty Fox Jr. having issues taking care of the ball, to Jaylen Henderson being inconsistent and lacking the ability to move the ball through the air, it has been not been at all what many WVU football fans expected from that quarterback room to start 2025.
The bright spot in the room so far has been redshirt freshman Khalil Wilkins. He played the second-half against Utah, going 3-of-6 passing for 63 yards and one touchdown and adding 39 yards on nine carries. He could be the next man up in the competition after Saturday – but while the potential is there, the problems are too.
As stated before, there are other significant problems outside of who is taking snaps under center for this WVU offense. Wilkins showed some signs of ability, but as a fan base, it is important to keep expectations in check. Wilkins came into the game in the third quarter after Utah had already established a 35-0 lead. Still going against a starting Utah defense that is talented, but more than likely lacked that initial fire they had to begin the game, Wilkins was going against a defense that did not have as much to play for, already up by 35 points by his first drive
Wilkins' 39-yard touchdown throw to Cam Vaughn was impressive – a deep lob to his best receiver as he split a pair of defensive backs in zone coverage. Vaughn got to the ball before the Utah defender who contested could break up the pass, eventually scoring relatively easily after the Utah defender did not get a piece of the ball. But one could argue there is a decent chance that the Utah defender works harder to make the play if they did not have the luxury of such a big lead.
Cam Vaughn and the Mountaineers find the end zone 🏔️
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 27, 2025
Utah leads 35-7 in the 3rd#Big12FB | 📺 @CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/jx1C2fOqNg
Wilkins, as a passer, has some legit concerns. Multiple times during his outing, Wilkinsmisplaced or mistimed some throws that eventually fell incomplete. His PFF grade reflected that, earning a grade of 57.8 – there is reason to pump the brakes on the hype surrounding the idea that Wilkins being the starting quarterback the rest of the season.
With Marchiol and Henderson not performing well in any regard, Wilkins should earn some serious consideration for the starting job and should be used if Henderson and/or Marchiol are struggling as the starter, but WVU fans thinking that he is a difference maker that will change the course of this WVU offense should think about adjusting their expectations for the freshman quarterback.