West Virginia
Former WVU QB Will Grier is Headed Back to Where His NFL Career Started
One of the best quarterbacks in recent memory to come through West Virginia, Will Grier, is approaching his eighth year in the NFL, which is quite the accomplishment for a backup. According to multiple reports early Tuesday morning, Grier is headed home, signing a free agent deal with the Carolina Panthers.
Grier was selected in the third round (100th overall) by the Panthers in 2019 and, at the time, was viewed as someone who could potentially be the future face of the franchise. That plan got messed up pretty early as Ron Rivera was fired during his rookie season, ultimately replaced by Matt Rhule. That offseason, the Panthers decided to cut ties with Cam Newton and bring in Teddy Bridgewater, giving Carolina a completely different direction at quarterback.
Following his second season with the Panthers, Grier was let go and began bouncing around the league. He spent time with the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, and then back to the Cowboys in 2024 and 2025.
Although he has only played in two regular season games in his career, Grier is widely viewed as a tremendous veteran quarterback who can bring depth to a room and serve as an extra voice for the starter to lean on. In this case, he and former Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett will fill that role for Bryce Young.
Where Grier ranks among WVU QBs in the NFL
Statistically, he’s not going to catch anyone unless he somehow gets thrown into a starting role at some point, but as far as longevity goes, he’s been able to stick around in the NFL longer than most former Mountaineer quarterbacks.
Geno Smith (still active) is entering his 14th year in the league, and Jeff Hostetler made it 13 years. Those are the only two WVU quarterbacks who played longer. Marc Bulger played eight years, so as long as he makes it through this season and plays in 2027, he’ll surpass him. The others? Charles Seabright (six years), Oliver Luck (four years), Pat White (one year), and Fred Wyant (one year).
Grier will forever be remembered as one of the best to ever suit up for the Old Gold and Blue, tossing for 7,354 yards and 71 touchdowns in just two seasons in Dana Holgorsen’s offense. Following the 2018 season, he finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting, marking the highest finish for a Mountaineer since Steve Slaton in 2006.
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A 6-year-old boy died in a motocross crash in West Virginia over the weekend, officials say.
The boy died during practice runs at Mason Motocross in Mason County on Sunday morning, CBS affiliate WOWK reported. The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. at the track in Point Pleasant.
Officials reportedly said a medical helicopter was called to the scene of the crash, but the child was not stable enough to be flown to the hospital, so instead he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. The boy later died from his injuries at the hospital. He has not been identified as of Monday night.
The Mason Motocross races on Sunday were canceled after the crash, WOWK reported. They were scheduled to start at noon. According to a Facebook post from Mason Motocross, practice runs began around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
In a separate Facebook post on Monday, Mason Motocross asked for prayers for the boy’s family.
“Let’s lift them up in prayer during this unimaginable time,” the social media post said. “Our community. Our support. Our prayers.”
No other information about the crash was released on Monday.
West Virginia
Over 26,000 West Virginia students have applied for full Hope Scholarship funding – WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than 26,000 West Virginia students submitted applications for full Hope Scholarship funding for the next school year.
State Treasurer Larry Pack and his office announced the latest application numbers in a release Monday. Pack’s office said 26,617 students applied during the first application period from March 2 to June 15. The estimated cost for Hope Scholarship funding, as it currently stands, is $155 million.
The first window for students to apply for 100-percent funding closed last Monday. The state treasurer’s office said the cost for this year will rise as students submit applications. Students can apply for 75 percent of the full funding amount until September 15.
The release said around $277 million was allocated by the West Virginia Legislature and Gov. Patrick Morrisey for Hope Scholarship funding during the 2026 Legislative Session.
“We are so excited to welcome thousands of new families into the Hope Scholarship Program. Seeing the Education Savings Account nearly double in participation is a true indicator of the impact and popularity of the program,” Pack said. “Now our team turns their attention to helping these students get the resources they need to tailor their education towards their unique needs. Our goal is for West Virginia will continue to lead the nation in education innovation as we continue to build the program.”
The state treasurer’s office said the 2026-27 full scholarship amount is $5,435.62 per student, with those funds distributed quarterly.
More students are eligible for Hope Scholarship funding this year with more flexibility offered for school choice. The state treasurer’s office said that private school and traditional homeschool students can apply to the Education Savings Account program for 2026-27 academic funding.
The state treasurer’s office broke down each applicant’s eligibility for funding based on when applications are submitted.
June 16 — September 15, 2026: 75% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
September 16 — November 30, 2026: 50% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
December 1, 2026 — February 28, 2027: 25% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
Students can apply online here.
WV Sports Football Recruiting
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