Trey Lowe Has Earned the Starting Job
Brad Smith
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Preface: Head Coach Neal Brown will obviously do what’s best for the team and will pick the player most deserving of the job as the starting quarterback. The following is an opinion piece based on Brown’s recent comments on the team’s quarterback position.
When Mountaineer Sports endorsed Austin Kendall back on March 23rd, it may have been a bit premature. Although it appeared at the time that he was the most qualified and talented quarterback on the roster, it is now clear from Neal Brown’s comments following practices during the offseason that Kendall simply has not earned the job.
Enter Trey Lowe. Lowe, a Redshirt Freshman and two-sport athlete who also plays outfield on the WVU baseball team, is the most mobile and athletic quarterback for the Mountaineers. Neal Brown’s offense will rely on the quarterback using designed running plays to gain yards. He will also expect his quarterback to be able to extend plays with mobility and Lowe fits this profile better than Allison or Kendall.
Lowe has also been the most impressive. Brown said of Lowe, “He’s really played well. He’s on a bit of a rollercoaster. He’s been up and down. He’s done some really nice things. We let him run the ball some and he’s done really well there as well. He’s thrown some long touchdowns and led some scoring drives. Trey is going to help us out this year.”
Brown has made it clear that his expectations are not particularly high for this year’s team. Playing Austin Kendall or Jack Allison while Lowe could gain important playing experience seems to be a bit of a waste. Kendall and Allison are not going to lead this team to a National Championship and Brown runs the risk of not gaining any real experience at the position if Lowe isn’t allowed to develop by playing.
Trey Lowe, Bowling Green transfer Jarrett Doege and high school four star Senior Garrett Greene will all be better options than Kendall and Allison next year when the team is ready to compete in the Big 12. Lowe immediately gives the Mountaineers a chance due to his ability to run and to create plays when the pocket breaks down. The offensive line, although talented, are not proven as a unit and the quarterback will be often challenged to get rid of the ball quickly or scramble outside of the pocket.
Lowe gives WVU the best chance to win now and even if he struggles early, he’ll gain the valuable experience to be used for future seasons. Neal Brown is an outstanding coach who will make the right decision, but it certainly seems like Lowe starting as a Redshirt Freshman makes the most sense for this season’s team.
Alternate View by Sean Taylor (“Looking More and More Like Austin Kendall is the Man at Quarterback”): https://mountaineerspo.wpenginepowered.com/looking-more-and-more-like-austin-kendall-is-the-man-at-quarterback/