Rich Rodriguez Clarifies Nicco Marchiol Expectations After Issuing Max Brown Injury Update

Rich Rodriguez’s homecoming to Morgantown kicked off with a bang. The Mountaineers opened the 2025 season with a 45–3 smacking of Robert Morris at Milan Puskar Stadium. First half was sluggish—10-3—but the second half? Explosive. Nicco Marchiol showed off a Drew Brees-esque football, carving up the defense with surgical precision. Postgame, Rich Rod sat down and dropped truth bombs about Nicco and backup QB Max Brown. The questions were simple, but the answers? Rich, real, and full of flavor.

On August 30, the Mountaineers officially launched the 2025 campaign by racking up a ridiculous 625 total yards while suffocating Robert Morris to just 123. And in the post-game presser, Rodriguez wasted no time explaining why Marchiol had earned the starting gig and his performance: “Yeah, I think, you know, he’s shown it during practice. He was the most… he was consistent, understood, got a feel for the game, and he’s a gritty player. You know, all the quarterbacks run pretty good and they’re all willing runners, but Nico’s a competitive guy. He’ll do what he’s got to do to win the game. And I think, again, all those guys, it was their first time playing in this system. So our expectation is that they’ll continue to grow and get better.” No lie. He showed it with crazy precision.

The redshirt sophomore went 17-of-20 for 224 yards, an 85% completion rate, and dropped a 46-yard dime to Cam Vaughn that lit up the crowd. He also showed off his legs, pulling off a 10-yard rushing score that gave a flash of dual-threat juice. Marchiol is now 4–0 as a starter, quietly piecing together a résumé that screams reliability and upside. His performance sparked a 35-point second-half eruption that turned a tight game into a blowout party.

But he wasn’t alone. Jahiem White bulldozed his way to 93 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while true freshman Scotty Fox Jr. turned on the jets for a 59-yard score that left jaws hanging. Vaughn became the safety blanket, hauling in 7 catches for 127 yards. Even the defense flexed—Hammond Russell’s strip sack and Reid Carrico’s recovery felt like the nail in the coffin. WVU wasn’t just running up the score; they were reminding folks they can be dangerous on both sides of the ball.

Of course, Week 1 wasn’t spotless. The Mountaineers coughed up 4 fumbles and racked up nine penalties for 69 yards. Rodriguez didn’t sugarcoat it: “We need that, we’re going to face adversity.” He knows those mistakes can’t follow them into Athens next week against Ohio. Still, Saturday’s result tied Rich Rod with Dana Holgorsen at 61 wins in program history—a reminder that his footprint in Morgantown is bigger than just one game.

But the post-game conversation also turned to a player fans didn’t see: Max Brown. The Florida-turned-Charlotte transfer didn’t suit up, raising eyebrows. Rodriguez quickly explained: “Max tweaked his hamstring a little bit, so he didn’t dress today.” That setback stings because Brown came in with serious expectations and was even praised by Rodriguez a week prior as “maybe the best athlete of all of them.” The setback means Marchiol holds the reins for now, and Brown’s fight for reps is on pause.

Brown’s backstory is packed with potential—over 4,400 passing yards and 68 touchdowns in high school, plus an NFL bloodline through his dad, Corey Brown. But injuries and transfers have made the journey rocky. Rodriguez knows the ceiling is there, but for now, the timing is rough. Nicco’s hot start only widens the gap.

Key takeaways from the Mountaineers and Colonials game

WVU’s stat sheet looked like video game numbers: 625 total yards, 45 points, and only 3 given up. But if you peel back the hype, the first half was shaky. Four fumbles and nine penalties kept the Robert Morris Colonials hanging around with a 10–3 halftime score. That kind of sloppiness won’t cut it against Power 4 opponents.

The rotation plan also took a hit. Rodriguez wanted to spread snaps around, but the messy first half forced him to lean on starters longer. By the time WVU broke the game open, the chance to truly test depth had slipped away. That’s a missed opportunity with Ohio on deck, a team that nearly upset Rutgers. In Athens, WVU will need every gear working clean.

Offensively, though, the machine looked alive again. Marchiol was sharp, White punished defenders, Vaughn looked every bit like a WR1, and Fox Jr. provided fireworks. The run-pass balance was classic Rich Rod—393 rushing yards backed by 224 through the air. When the O-line found rhythm, they manhandled Robert Morris’ front. That’s a winning formula, as long as the early hiccups get ironed out.

The defense deserves its flowers. Holding any opponent to 123 yards is pure suffocation. They swarmed, wrapped up, and smothered every spark Robert Morris tried to light. Hammond Russell’s strip sack and Reid Carrico’s recovery flipped the switch for good. If this unit keeps that same energy against Ohio, WVU might have the makings of a complete team.

Rich Rod’s return is off to a perfect start. Momentum is building, young stars are showing up, and while mistakes linger, the potential is explosive. Week 2’s showdown in Ohio (Wildcats) will tell just how far this team can fly.