West Virginia QB Skyler Howard Could Be Dangerous Big 12 Threat in 2015

Much like a savvy investor can spot the treasure amid the trash in a discarded storage unit, West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen knows he's got some valuable items in his possession in the form of quarterback Skyler Howard. The key is figuring out whether the reward is worth the risk.

Making his second career start—and only third real appearance—the sophomore followed up a first half full of hope with a final 30 minutes that showed how much he has to learn before he can be considered the best option for West Virginia's offense. Put it all together, and you can understand why Holgorsen doesn't have much hair on top.

Howard threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns on 11-of-19 passing in the first half of Monday's 45-37 loss to Texas A&M in the Liberty Bowl. But after halftime, he was just 9-of-26 for 151 yards and a score, repeatedly overthrowing open receivers or slinging it far too hard when a softer throw would have done the trick.

In fact, when Howard went to the touch pass, getting some air under the ball, he was near-perfect. But when he tried to show off his arm strength, the Mountaineers' lack of nine-foot-tall receivers made it an unwise move.

Playing like a jacked-up youngster on a stage far bigger than anything he'd dealt with before, Howard showed a combination of swagger and stumbles that could make him either an intriguing breakout star or a potential bust in 2015. A lot will depend on how he—and Holgorsen—uses what happened against Texas A&M to factor into next season's plans.

When he was rolling early, Howard was showing off a level of swagger that hearkened back to another unheralded, Texas-bred quarterback who played with fire and flair. He even broke out the Johnny Manziel "money" sign after a touchdown pass, and he also jawed with Texas A&M players after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit on a rollout.

But when the passes kept sailing, and Howard's running ability failed to produce—the dual-threat quarterback had only 33 yards on 10 carries, with a long of 18 yards—the early success quickly turned into growing pains. Howard completed only two of his first 15 second-half passes, during which West Virginia went from trailing 28-27 to going down 45-30.

Holgorsen stuck with him though, and Howard kept heaving it. He completed four passes of 40-plus yards, including a 47-yard toss to Shelton Gibson in the fourth quarter, and ultimately finished with 346 yards on 20-of-45 passing with three TDs and no interceptions.

Howard took a winding path to get to West Virginia. An overlooked high school standout from Fort Worth, Texas, he spent a semester at FCS Stephen F. Austin before moving to Riverside City College in California.

He threw for 3,151 yards and 33 touchdowns and also ran for five scores, yet according to 247Sports his only offers after that performance (besides West Virginia) were from San Diego State, New Mexico State and FCS school Northern Colorado.

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

He wasn't expected to be part of West Virginia's immediate plans before the season began, not with senior Clint Trickett asserting himself as one of the better quarterbacks in the country. Yet Howard ended up being second on the depth chart ahead of senior Paul Millard and freshman William Crest—though he only got into one of the first 10 games.

"I'm on this team to play my role, whatever that is, whatever [the coaches] decide," Howard told Bob Hertzel of the Exponent Telegram in November. "I'll be the best backup we have or I'll be the best starter we have."

Then Trickett suffered a concussion against Kansas State, and Howard was quickly thrust into the job. He threw for 198 yards and two TDs in relief, then followed that up with 285 yards and three TDs in a win at Iowa State in the regular-season finale.

Trickett seemed poised to take back his job for the bowl game, but then the surprise news that he was retiring from football as the result of five concussions in 14 months meant Howard was back in the spotlight. After how he fared Monday, though, he's in no way a sure bet to be West Virginia's starter next season.

Other Big 12 teams have put huge stock in what their quarterbacks have done in bowl games recently, only to see that all-eggs-in-one-basket approach blow up in their face.

Last season, following a huge performance against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, Oklahoma's Trevor Knight was anointed as an early Heisman candidate, but he never came close to looking like that this fall. Backup Blake Bell had been converted to a tight end by then, and after Knight got hurt the Sooners had to turn to ill-prepared freshman Cody Thomas.

And Texas Tech seemed to have no problem with a mass exodus of passers after Davis Webb tore up Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl. Then Webb went out and threw 13 interceptions in eight games and also got replaced by a freshman after being injured.

With that in mind, Howard's struggles Monday might be the best thing that could have happened for him—and for the Mountaineers. If he had put forth a full game of superior plays, he might have headed into 2015 with an offseason of hype that figures to get tempered by a hellacious Big 12 schedule.

West Virginia plays at Oklahoma, Baylor, TCU and Kansas State next season. That's the kind of gauntlet that's best handled with some pre-existing humility, rather than a head swollen with overconfidence.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.