While the offensive line is going to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds in the state of West Virginia, the quarterback spot is a not-too-distant second. There are bigger problems on the roster than quarterback, but it is the most important position on the field, and Rich Rodriguez has to provide some level of competition for soon-to-be sophomore Scotty Fox Jr.

The question is, how much will West Virginia spend on a portal quarterback?

It’s not an easy thing to guess or project, simply because the majority of these deals are kept private, unlike the NFL. I think at some point, transparency is going to be needed. I mean, why keep it hush-hush? They’re technically professionals, so what’s the point?

Before I go on a big, long rant and get more off track, let’s get back to the question at hand.

Many in the industry expect the top quarterbacks in this class to net $2 million or more. Heck, some may even reach $4-5 million. If that’s the case, I wouldn’t expect WVU to come anywhere near that. Now, if the right opportunity comes up and they truly believe they can still build a solid roster around an expensive quarterback, maybe they go for it. Then again, it shouldn’t be the expectation.

Does that number even hit $1 million for them? I’m not sure it does.

I won’t completely rule it out, but WVU will have to spend some money to hold onto Scotty Fox Jr., and while it may not be seven figures, it’s safe to assume it’s more than most QB2s will make in 2026. Are you really going to pay big dollars for another quarterback to come in? Very unlikely.

As GM Chuck Lillie and Rich Rod browse over the options, there’s almost certainly a number they are trying to stay under at each position, including quarterback. Whatever they plan to offer or have offered, Fox takes a sizable hit to that overall number.

I’m not suggesting that WVU is going to bring in someone purely for competition and depth purposes, either. There will be cheaper quarterbacks that WVU can start and win with that have experience from the lower levels, or are in the Power Four and are looking for an opportunity or a fresh start.

The majority of West Virginia’s money will be put into fixing the offensive line and improving the front seven on defense. When you’re entering year two and are still quite a ways from being a true contender, it would be silly to be one of the biggest spenders in the portal at quarterback.

This is purely speculation, but I do think WVU is comfortable spending over $1 million on someone. Getting in that $1.5M-$2M range is probably pushing it. At least this offseason. The goal should be to fix as much of the roster as possible, add another capable quarterback, and see what happens. Save that money for 2027, when there should be fewer issues and more experience on the roster. Keep in mind, West Virginia is bringing in a large freshman class this season.

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