Redshirt sophomore quarterback for West Virginia. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 205 lb · Dallas, TX · Emerson
The numbers
passing yards · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 190 pass yds, 2 TD, 123 rush yds, vs Virginia
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Redshirt sophomore quarterback for West Virginia. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
Buzz vs Tape
His own fans are far more bullish than the rival fanbase.
The battle for WVU’s starting quarterback job may finally be over! According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Michael Hawkins Jr. is expected to earn the starting job after competing with second-year quarterback Scotty Fox throughout the offseason…
Also worth knowing:
Michael Hawkins Jr.
Extends plays with his feet until something opens up. Two head coaches in three seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 190 pass yds, 123 rush yds against Virginia, Week 3, 2026.
477 PASS YDS · 5 PASS TD · 322 RUSH YDS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Career arc
Badges
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Chad Scott → Rich Rodriguez. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to West Virginia
| Season | Team | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | West Virginia | 26 | 38 | 68.4% | 477 | 12.6 | 5 | 0 | 217.3 | 70 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Oklahoma | 15 | 27 | 55.6% | 167 | 6.2 | 3 | 0 | 144.2 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Oklahoma | 76 | 120 | 63.3% | 783 | 6.5 | 3 | 2 | 123.1 | 41 | -- | -- |
| Career | 117 | 185 | 63.2% | 1,427 | 7.7 | 11 | 2 | 145.5 | 50 | -- | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | West Virginia | 44 | 322 | 7.3 | 6 | -- |
| 2025 | Oklahoma | 15 | 58 | 3.9 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Oklahoma | 69 | 204 | 3.0 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 128 | 584 | 4.6 | 8 | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | CMP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | YPA | QBR | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 31-24vs Coastal Carolina | 11/14 | 132 | 1 | 0 | 9.4 | — | |
| Wk 2 | W 52-7vs UT Martin | 5/7 | 155 | 2 | 0 | 22.1 | 99.8 | |
| Wk 3 | W 38-27@ Virginia | 10/17 | 190 | 2 | 0 | 11.2 | 98.2 | Season-high 190 yds |
| Total | 26/38 | 477 | 5 | 0 | 14.2 | 99.0 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 3 · 2026
W 38–27
at Virginia
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
Since week 2: +190 passing yards, +2 passing TD.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this profile ranks vs the QB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / att (100th percentile). Strength: rush yards (100th percentile). Concern: pass yards (2nd percentile).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Zeitgeist Passer Rating
2026 · our own passing-efficiency number, shown next to the 1979 formula it does not replace.
Thin sample: 40 dropbacks70Zeitgeist Passer Ratingnot ranked until 125 dropbacks
--NCAA passer ratingno box-score line yet
Positive-play rate weight 24%
45.8%51th pct of FBS QBsshare of dropbacks that gained expected points · -1.7% schedule adj.Yards per attempt weight 56%
12.18100th pct of FBS QBssacks excluded · -0.5 schedule adj.Sack rate weight 21% (penalty)
5.1%58th pct of FBS QBsthe input passer rating cannot see · +0.1% schedule adj.Opponent-adjusted; garbage time excluded (0 of 40 dropbacks dropped). 50 = FBS average; the number is pulled toward 50 when the sample is thin. Scaled against the 2025 FBS population until enough 2026 QBs qualify. How ZPR is built.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| YDS/g | TD/g | YPA | INT/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 144 | 1.5 | 15.8 | 0.0 |
| Road1g | 190 | 2.0 | 11.2 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | TD/g | YPA | INT/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 159 | 1.7 | 14.2 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Rich Rodriguez
Pass share
21.2%
43 pass / 160 run
Plays / game
67.7
3 games
Scheme: Run-heavy.
Player standing · 2026
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Play style
Makes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise.
CFB Index positional classification
Player DNA
Makes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise.
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Cade Klubnik’s 2022 season.
Matches Cade on
Differs from Cade on
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Eli Peters’s path through Toledo.
Matches Eli on
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Chandler Rogers's freshman season at UL Monroe (2021).
Matches Chandler on
Differs from Chandler on
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peaked at #53 this season.
Enrolled at WVU in 2026 spring 2025 (So.) – Oklahoma Saw action in two games at quarterback Completed 15-of-27 passes for 167 yards, three touchdowns and a long of 32 yards Finished with 14-of-24 for 162 yards and three touchdowns against Kent State Ran nine times for 33 yards and a touchdown…