This past Saturday, WVU football suffered a tough loss to Ohio, and the Mountaineers at one point benched starting quarterback Nicco Marchiol and brought backup Jaylen Henderson into action. But by the end of the game, Marchiol was back under center and taking snaps.
After the game, head coach Rich Rodriguez said he was looking for “a little spark” when making the quarterback change and was asked to “give me 24 hours” before asking about the situation surrounding the position.
It has been more than 24 hours by the time Rodriguez's weekly press conference rolled around on Tuesday, but Rodriguez explicitly said he's not ready to determine a starter at signal caller for the upcoming Backyard Brawl against Pitt.
WVU HC Rich Rodriguez said he's not ready to name a starter at quarterback for the Pitt game after Nicco Marchiol was benched for Jaylen Henderson but then returned to the game against Ohio. pic.twitter.com/BNGYYVyiFQ
— Joe Smith (@joesmithwrites) September 9, 2025
"No, I'm not naming anything because we've got a long week of practice and evaluating things,” he said.
Rodriguez also mentioned Monday night on The Rich Rodriguez Show that he almost played a third quarterback against Ohio, so there's no guarantee that option isn't on the table. But Henderson didn't seem to impress against Ohio, as he was removed from the lineup after just two possessions, and Marchiol finished the game.
So one might presume Marchiol is still the favorite at the position, but it'd be less surprising to see him lose his starting spot than it would have been after Week 1. In any case, it seems fans will likely have to wait until Saturday to see how the ongoing saga of the WVU quarterback competition plays out.