Quick Hits: Evaluating Marchiol's First Start, WR Issues, Getting National Attention + More

Explanation for the struggles in the pass game

"We got to do more at those positions to help the quarterback. Our pass game all around has just got to be better. We just didn't do a very good job of executing. We need to throw it better at quarterback. We need to protect him a little better. And we just didn't make a whole lot of plays in space."

Garrett Greene's status

"Garrett was available on Saturday, but he did not warm up very well. He would have emergency been ready but we would have had to help him out. I really don't want to play him until he's fully healthy and he didn't make a whole lot of progress from Wednesday to Saturday. He worked with our trainers today. We'll see what he has Tuesday and Wednesday, so I really don't have more than that. If he can practice full go Tuesday and Wednesday then he'll play. If he can't, then it'll probably be the same [as last week]."

Thoughts on Nicco Marchiol

I thought he made a considerable jump from the last game when he played against Pitt. And really if you think about it, he's played quite a bit the last three weeks. He played the second half versus Duquesne, played all but five snaps versus Pitt, and then played the whole game on Saturday. I think he's made steady improvement and that's to be expected. He threw some nice balls. There was only a couple [that weren't]. The first pick was not a very good decision. We got to get better on the deep balls. The one he threw to EJ [Horton] late was a great throw, but he threw a couple go balls where he really didn't give the guys a chance, so we got to do better at that. Overall, decision-making was improved. He just didn't get a whole lot of help. Our offensive skill guys got to help him out. But I'm pleased with his improvement. Can he play better? Yes. Will he be better? I believe so. I wasn't displeased with how he played on Saturday. He gave us a chance."

Winning five of the last seven games

"I think other than that first half defensively against Kansas State, we've put together some pretty good string of football. We've played better defensively and we've played a pretty good run of teams too. I'm not shocked we're 3-1. I thought we had a chance. Nobody else wanted to listen, but I thought we had a chance."

How the receivers get better

"We just got to make plays, man. We're going to shorten the rotation up. I think we're playing too many guys. I think EJ Horton is going to play more. He and Hudson [Clement] and Traylon Ray - we're going to get those guys more up and ready."

CJ Donaldson's struggles against Texas Tech

"Played great in the second half versus Pitt. But I don't know, you'd have to ask him. I think he didn't finish runs as well as he can. And he's got some nagging things but nothing that's going to keep him out. It's hard playing running back, there's a lot of shots. I think he's got to finish his runs better. He knows it and he can play better. We got to get him involved in the pass game a little more too."

How to gain more national attention

"Got to go win. I think the whole goal is you get into November with a chance to win your league. So to do that, you've got to defend your home turf which we've done so far. And then you've got to go beat quality teams on the road. And this is the first opportunity we've had in league play. We've got to prove that we're a contender. We're 1-0 but I'm not sure that we've grabbed national attention or anything yet. We got to continue to win games."

You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us on X:

X - @MountaineersNow and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.