A third starting quarterback -- the first time that’s happened since 1985 -- isn’t the only change West Virginia is making ahead of its Big 12 game against Oklahoma State.
Looking to shake up the malaise of a worse-than-it-looks 2-2 start to the 2013 season, Mountaineers head coach Dana Holgorsen listed an astounding 21 changes on his two-deep depth chart released Saturday morning.
In addition to Clint Trickett starting at quarterback in place of the injured Ford Childress, Ivan McCartney will start at wide receiver in place of Kevin White. In last Saturday’s embarrassing 37-0 loss to Maryland, West Virginia completed just one pass to a wide receiver. White is currently tied for third among WVU receivers with nine catches, while McCartney is third in receiving yards with 107 through four games.
Starting left tackle Quinton Spain has been shifted over to left guard, with Nick Kindler taking his starting spot protecting Trickett’s blind side. On the other side of the line, Dontrill Hyman will start at defensive end ahead of Kyle Rose.
Mitch Vingle of the Charleston Gazette also wrote on Twitter that “Doug Rigg to start at Sam, while Jared Barber moves to Will. Nick Kwiatkoski on dress list, but not starting.”
Kwiatkowski is WVU’s leading tackler with 29, and has totaled 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble.
Most of the other changes to the depth chart involve backups. The Charleston Daily Mail‘s Mike Casazza has the definitive breakdown of all the changes HERE.
Whether or not Holgorsen’s shakeup leads to improvement remains to be seen, but it’s quite clear the head coach is sending a message to his players --and the WVU fan base -- that the status quo is simply not acceptable.
UPDATED 11:48 a.m. ET: Kwiatkowski is not playing because of a hamstring injury.
