Garrett Ueltschy

From Pine Grove West Virginia, Proud Alumni of WVU, how bout that, Let's Go Mountaineers

[Garrett Ueltschy @GarrettUeltschy]

Vibin everyday, gotta make that cash #grindharder #grindsmarter

[West Virginia Football @WVUfootball]

Nighttime in Morgantown, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩

[the Sports ON Tap @thesportsontap]

Michael Hawkins Jr.'s dad was an NFL cornerback. He planned on raising one.

Then Jason Witten watched the kid throw.

Now, three games into his West Virginia career, Hawkins has 11 touchdowns and ZERO interceptions.

5 passing. 6 rushing.

On Saturday he threw for 2 and ran for 3 as West Virginia beat No. 25 Virginia 38-27. No Mountaineers quarterback had done that since Pat White in 2008.

10 of 17. 190 yards. 2 touchdowns.

18 carries. 123 yards. 3 touchdowns.

West Virginia is 3-0.

Now rewind.

His dad, Mike Hawkins Sr., played cornerback at Oklahoma in 2002. Then Arena Football with the Dallas Desperados. Then a fifth round pick by the Green Bay Packers. He bounced around the NFL, including a stop in Dallas.

His younger son grew up to be a cornerback. That was the plan for Michael too.

Then one of his dad's teammates saw Michael throw a football.

"Man, he got a pretty good arm!"

That was Jason Witten talking.

So he became a quarterback. At Allen High School in Texas, the same program where Kyler Murray went 43-0, he trained under Kyler's dad. His senior year at Emerson High he threw 41 touchdown passes and ran for 10 more.

When Oklahoma offered him at a camp, his dad filmed it.

"And man, it broke me down."

As a true freshman in 2024, he came off the bench against Tennessee, then started against Auburn and led a comeback win. Then he became the first true freshman quarterback in Oklahoma history to start against Texas.

Then he went back to the bench.

In 2025 he backed up John Mateer. When Mateer needed hand surgery, Hawkins stepped in against Kent State and scored four touchdowns.

Then he went back to the bench again.

On New Year's Eve he entered the transfer portal. Five days later he left the school his dad played for and committed to West Virginia.

On paper it made no sense. West Virginia had just gone 4-8 in Rich Rodriguez's first season back. More than 50 players entered the portal. Nearly three quarters of the roster was gone.

His dad explained the pitch.

"They matched the offense from when Mike was a sophomore at Allen to his last game at OU. They showed us plays of the plan."

"There was a sense of not just wanting you but needing you."

"We didn't ask for any guarantees. We just wanted a true opportunity."

If anybody knows what to do with a quarterback who can run, it is Rich Rodriguez.

His quarterback the first time around in Morgantown was Pat White.

Rodriguez after Saturday's win:

"Mike was electric."

Virginia coach Tony Elliott:

"He knew exactly what was going on."

The AP poll came out Sunday. West Virginia got 93 votes. Still not ranked. The Mountaineers have not been in the Top 25 since 2018.

Yes, it is three games. The Big 12 grind has not even started. Oklahoma State is next.

Hawkins does not sound worried about the voters.

"We know what we have in our building. A lot of people don't. So we've got to continue to believe in the talent and keep that chip on our shoulder."

A cornerback's kid. A quarterback because Jason Witten said so.

[Big 12 Conference @Big12Conference]

NINETY. YARDS. UNREAL.

Scotty Fox Jr. → Cyncir Bowers 🤯

#Big12FB | 📺 TNT

[West Virginia Football @WVUfootball]

Back to the college days ⏪

Here's your chance to experience Nov. 29's Texas Tech game like one of the @WVUMANIACS -- $45 tickets + giveaways

🎟️ https://t.co/clUNUIz7ap

[Garrett Ueltschy @GarrettUeltschy]

@Callihan_ We can’t even get a first down

[Garrett Ueltschy @GarrettUeltschy]

@EerRational Deniz Kilicli

[Stedman Bailey @bailey_stedman]

Can’t wait to go meet Coach Rich Rod. Coming out of high school I wanted to be apart of that culture badly

[West Virginia Football @WVUfootball]

Mentally & physically tough.

Non-negotiable 💪

[EERSNATION @EERSNATION]

Nicco, Jaheim, and CJ in the backfield together in Rich's office is gonna be fun.

[Schuyler Callihan @Callihan_]

#WVU WR signee Tyshawn Dues:

“I’m excited! Not only excited to play college football but also excited to play for Coach Rod!”

[Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow]

BREAKING: @RealCoachRod is coming HOME.

“I need to go back and make it right”

🗣🗣 My progrum will be LIVE from the Coliseum tomorrow.. We will lead up to the Official Press Conference which will begin at 1:30PMest

Gold and Blue gates open at 10:30AM..

#HardEdge

#unFINISHedBusiness

[Pete Thamel @PeteThamel]

Sources: West Virginia is targeting Rich Rodriguez as the school’s next head coach. A deal is working toward completion, but yet to finalized. Rodriguez, 61, went 60-26 in his seven year there from 2001-07, including three-straight 10-win seasons.

[Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow]

OH MY

OH NO

“That’s so Jets”

[Garrett Ueltschy @GarrettUeltschy]

#NewProfilePic #CoalRush

[West Virginia Football @WVUfootball]

It's not crazy... it's Coal Rush.

[Garrett Ueltschy @GarrettUeltschy]

@WVUSports @wrenbaker Mountaineer Field with the whole family!

[Overtime McBee @OvertimeMcBee]

Me seeing my friend who was also on suicide watch after the pitt game wandering the blue lot at 8am next week:

[West By God Virginia @WestByGodWV]

Jordan Lesley can float back down the Mon and pack up his office

[Marc Bulger @MarcBulger10]

Great time in Morgantown yesterday. Such a great atmosphere! Mountaineers bounced back after the opener last season. We will again! #HailWV

[Bryce Ford-Wheaton @Brycewheat3]

There’s no way any recruit in Morgantown right now will experience a better atmosphere on any other college campus, It’s impossible.