MORGANTOWN — Time will tell if wide receiver Ali Jennings will become a game-breaker, but the 3-star talent may already be a 5-star news-breaker.
Jennings, who committed to West Virginia on Wednesday morning, told a Richmond, Va. television reporter that Holgorsen intends to take over as the Mountaineers offensive coordinator.
“Coach Holgorsen is going to be the head coach and the new OC,” Jennings said.
Later on Wednesday afternoon, Holgorsen clarified that he will call the plays for the Mountaineers in the Camping World Bowl. He said the jury is out on whether he’ll continue to do so next season, but hinted that there is a good chance it will happen.
“I [will call plays] for this game,” Holgorsen said. “I’ll re-evaluate things at the end of the year. I’m getting back into the swing of things. I’ve been cooped up. I’m having a fun time with it. I’m used to calling it.”
Holgorsen called the plays for West Virginia’s offense for his first six seasons as head coach before ceding control to Jake Spavital in 2017. Texas State hired Spavital to be its head coach earlier this month.
If Holgorsen does return to his previous play-calling responsibilities next season, there is still a quarterbacks coach vacancy on WVU’s staff. Spavital filled both roles.
“I want to win, so whatever we’ve got to do to win,” Holgorsen said. “I’ve got a fairly decent history of calling plays that work. And I’ve got a history of calling plays that don’t work. So we’ll see how it goes.
“I like doing it. Deep down inside, I can do as much of the CEO crap as I want to, but I like football. I want to call plays. I like coaching offense. That’s what our team needs me to do right now, and that’s what I’ll do.”