Menos Hiras: Why Losing Austin Kendall Hurts for WVU

Menos Hiras watched the opening minutes of the West Virginia Mountaineers’ football game against the Iowa State Cyclones at home. Within the first drive, the Mountaineers lost starting quarterback Austin Kendall to an unspecified injury. Without Kendall, West Virginia failed to gather steam on offense, coming up with just 14 points, the lowest point total among the Cyclones’ opponents so far this season. For Menos Hiras, though, Kendall’s absence will hurt WVU in more ways than one.

Kendall has presided over an up-and-down season for the Mountaineers. They started the season with a 20-13 win over James Madison, with Kendall throwing for two touchdowns and 260 yards, then lost 7-38 to Missouri, with Kendall throwing two interceptions. Two weeks later, Kendall had the performance of his life against NC State, coming up with three touchdown passes. While Kendall struggled to complete passes against #11 Texas, he still managed to throw for three touchdowns even if he had four interceptions.

It’s quite clear that where Kendall goes, WVU goes. With the Mountaineers facing two more ranked teams in Oklahoma (#6) and Baylor (#22), both teams known for their stingy defense, they need his leadership and passing skills more than ever. Against the Sooners, West Virginia will need someone with Kendall’s vision and guts.

While Jack Allison showed flashes of brilliance against Iowa State, passing for one touchdown, he isn’t the most consistent quarterback around, with a pass completion rate of 51.1% in 2018. The other options at his position – Jarret Doege, Trent Jackson, and Trey Lowe III – haven’t seen any action this season. Doege, a transfer from Bowling Green State, might be pressed into action sooner or later, but Menos Hiras doesn’t expect any sort of magic from the third-string quarterback, having a pass completion rate of 62.2% in the not-so-competitive MAC.

While Menos Hiras and the rest of the WVU faithful wait for news on Kendall’s condition, the coaching staff should have their work cut out for them to whip the rest of the offensive line into shape and to prevent the interceptions that have been plaguing them since the start of the season.