:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47082720/usa-today-8299056.0.jpg)
The Mountaineers will be led by JUCO transfer and junior, Skyler Howard during the 2015 season. Howard, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, only played in four games last season, starting just two of them.
Behind Howard, or "Skyler Football" as he's been called, is redshirt freshman William Crest Jr. Crest, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, attended Dunbar High School which is the same high school as Tavon Austin and current Mountaineer linebacker Marvin Gross Jr. Crest only played in one game during the 2014 season which was the season opener versus the Towson Tigers before receiving a medical redshirt.
KEY LOSSES
The Mountaineers were led by Clint Trickett for much of last season. Trickett, a 2013 transfer from Florida State University, threw for 3,285 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior. The later portions of his 2014 campaign under center was disrupted by injuries. He eventually sat out the last two games of the season versus Iowa State and Texas A&M (Liberty Bowl) due to a concussion. Trickett also announced his retirement from the game this offseason because of multiple concussions. He currently is a quarterbacks coach at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Mississippi.
THE STARTER
Skyler Howard brings an exciting brand of football to Morgantown, West Virginia. Howard is a mobile quarterback who possesses a great arm. In his first appearance in the 2014 season when he came in, in relief of an injured Clint Trickett, on a freezing night at home against 12th ranked Kansas State, Skyler went four of four for 56 yards passing and rushed for 22 yards. He ended up nearly bringing the Mountaineers back from behind to beat the Wildcats.
So far Skyler Howard has thrown for eight touchdowns with no interceptions and has a 138.2 quarterback rating. In 2014 he ran 22 times for 140 yards.
THE BACKUP
William Crest Jr. brings stellar athleticism with a decent arm. Crest only saw a few minutes of game action in 2014 before getting medically redshirted the rest of the season. He played the final few minutes versus the Towson Tigers during the 2014 season opener going three of four for seven yards. Crest rushed five times for 27 yards and a touchdown as well.
Crest has been seen returning punts during spring football so not only will he be the backup, he may get more playing time using his athleticism returning punts or even being a wide receiver if needed. He is capable of playing nearly any offensive position.
THE BACKUP TO THE BACKUP
Freshman Chris Chuganov out of Skillman, New Jersey comes into the 2015 season as the third string quarterback. Chuganov stands 6'1 and weighs 192 pounds.
In his high school career, Chuganov thew for 6,308 yards collecting 47 touchdowns and throwing just 16 interceptions. He recorded five games of 300 or more passing yards.
ESPN ranked Chuganov as the 27th best player in the state of New Jersey.
THE OTHERS
The remaining quarterbacks on the roster are redshirt freshman Austin Hensley, freshman James Whitaker, and freshman David Sills.
Sills, as you may or may not remember, famously committed to the University of Southern California at the age of 13 when he was recruited by former head coach Lane Kiffin.