West Virginia’s Mike Hawkins Jr. is wasting no time making himself part of a tiny, elite club tied to Pat White.
Through less than a third of the season, the Mountaineers’ starting quarterback has already popped up alongside the WVU legend more than once. First came a 71-yard touchdown run a week ago, the longest by a Mountaineer quarterback since White.
Then, in this past weekend’s win over then-25th-ranked Virginia, Hawkins did something even rarer: he became the first WVU quarterback since White to throw for two touchdowns and rush for three touchdowns in the same game. The only other player in program history to pull that off is Ira Errett Rodgers.
Hawkins’ line against Virginia in Charlotte said plenty about how much he controlled the game: 190 passing yards, 123 rushing yards and five total touchdowns.
“Mike is a dynamic player, and I think he's going to keep getting better. I mean, it's just his 3rd game in the system," WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez said following the win in Charlotte.
"Obviously, the plays he made, but his composure and his seeing what was out there, even on certain other plays, it maybe didn't hit the way we wanted to. He knew exactly what was going on.
So, I think he grew a lot. I think our offense grew a lot today at certain moments, but Mike was electric.
I think he showed that today, and he's got a lot of really good football in front of him too.”
Rodriguez’s offense needs a quarterback who can stress defenses with both his arm and his legs, and Hawkins has already shown he fits that mold. The pairing looks natural, and it’s easy to see why the quarterback has settled in so quickly.
What stands out most is how quickly Hawkins is playing like a star, even though he’s still in his first month with the program. The big stage hasn’t seemed to bother him, and that was part of the expectation coming into the summer. He was ready for this chance; he just needed it.
For West Virginia, the encouraging part is that this may only be the beginning. If Hawkins is already doing this now, the idea of what this offense could look like in November - or even a year from now, with a full season in the system and much of the supporting cast still around - is enough to make the present and future in Morgantown look very bright.
In Other News...
WVU's Biggest Home Night In Years Comes With Real Stakes
West Virginia is getting one of those home nights that can define a season, and there is more riding on it than atmosphere alone. Milan Puskar Stadium is set for a major prime-time setting, and the Mountaineers are trying to turn a strong start into something bigger by staying perfect through the opening stretch and putting themselves back into the AP Top 25 conversation.
Rich Rodriguez has pointed to the energy around the program and the value of protecting home field, which makes this one feel less like just another September game and more like a measuring stick. For a team still trying to prove its early momentum is real, a night game in front of that crowd offers a chance to keep building and a reminder that the next step has to happen where West Virginia is supposed to be toughest to beat. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Injury Outlook Suddenly Looks Better Heading Into Oklahoma State
West Virginias injury picture is starting to clear up just in time for a trip to Oklahoma State, and that matters for a team that took a few hits in the recent game against Virginia. Rich Rodriguez said Nick Krahe will be limited in practice but is expected to play, while Jaden Bray is dealing with a hip bruise and should be back soon. The outlook is also encouraging for Ball, who is expected to play after being knocked out, giving the Mountaineers a little more stability as they try to manage the week.
There is even more room for optimism at running back, where Martavious Boswell and Talley are expected to be available. On the perimeter, Prince Strachan should see his role grow after being used sparingly last week, which could give West Virginia another option as it heads into a matchup that can use every healthy body it can get. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Knows Exactly What Awaits West Virginia Under The Lights
Oklahoma State is heading into one of the more charged environments in the Big 12, with Eric Morris already framing the trip to Morgantown as the kind of test that can turn a game on its head after dark. Morris had plenty of respect for what Rich Rodriguez is building at West Virginia, and he singled out quarterback Mike Hawkins as a dynamic presence in an offense that has grown noticeably since last season. For the Mountaineers, that is the sort of public praise that usually comes with a warning label.
The challenge for the Cowboys, Morris said, is not just the crowd or the setting, but staying clean with communication and tackling against a run game that can punish any lapse. West Virginia has shown enough improvement to make opponents prepare differently, and under the lights at home the margin for error gets even thinner. It is the kind of matchup where the details matter from the first snap, and Oklahoma State clearly knows it is walking into a place that rewards precision more than bravado. [Read more 🡒]