WVU Offensive Coordinator Chad Scott took most of his time during his media availability on Monday afternoon to take questions about backup QB, Nicco Marchiol’s performance, a week prior against Arizona.
“I thought Nicco threw the ball really well, put the ball in area code so those guys could make a play on the ball. He threw the ball phenomenally.”
With so much to break down about the young quarterback’s second ever career start, Scott had nothing but praise for Marchiol, specifically with how much of a veteran he looked like on the field.
“I thought what he did a phenomenal job on was his decision making when he got outside of the pocket. First of all, he did a great job of sitting in the pocket, and when he got outside the pocket where he could have easily gotten rattled, I thought he did a phenomenal job in making a play.”
Marchiol finished the game completing 18 of his 22 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. It was just the second career start but almost third full game after taking over in the first quarter for injured Garrett Greene in last season’s Backyard Brawl for Marchiol. He is now 2-0 as a starter and 3-0 including the Brawl.
When asked what stood out about his quarterback’s performance the most, Scott instantly brought the confidence and maturity of Marchiol back into the conversation, pointing to a couple of third and fourth down conversations as well as the end of game drive.
“That would be it, the poise. Even towards the end of the game, those guys rallied and was trying to make a run to come back, to go out there and and take the field with that kind of poise, that kind of calmness to go out there and execute the game plan.”
In the final drive, Marchiol completed two passes, one setting up a second and short, and the other converting on a third down to end the game. Both Scott and Neal Brown praised Marchiol for the final completion for being able to go through his progressions to find Jaylen Anderson out of the backfield to secure the win.
With Garrett Greene listed as doubtful once again this week according to Brown, it looks like Marchiol will be in line to get his third career start and look to keep his perfect record intact against Cincinnati on the road. The game is set for a noon kickoff this Saturday and can be viewed on FS1.
