Former Chiles two-sport star Garrett Greene competing for starting QB job at West Virginia

Garrett Greene's outlook hasn't changed.

Even more than two years later, the former Chiles High two-sport star in football and baseball says his decision to play football at West Virginia was a "no-brainer."

The quarterback loves the university, the city of Morgantown and the state's rolling mountains and range of outdoor activities.

"You can really see and feel the family environment," Greene said. "I love it here."

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After seeing spot duty during his first two seasons with the Mountaineers, Greene is competing for the starter's role this year. West Virginia's offense, ranked near the bottom of the Big 12 last season, also expects to have a different look under new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Graham Harrell.

Harrell, 37, a former All-American quarterback at Texas Tech who is known for his "Air Raid" passing game, installed his new system during spring practice. Greene and teammates have been prepping and studying the playbook this summer in preparation for the start of practice Aug. 1.

"Spring practice went really well," Greene said.

"We have a whole new offense. Though there are similarities (previous offense) there are some (different) nuance to it. We've just been getting comfortable with his system and continuing to develop that over the course of the summer.  We are going to take more shots in the passing game and push the field vertically. We are trying to get our guys out in space and let them make plays.

"I am excited with what this offense can be."

Four-way QB competition at WVU

Greene, a redshirt sophomore known for his athleticism and live arm, is in a four-way quarterback competition.

That list includes Georgia transfer J.T. Daniels, who joined the program last May after starting three games for the national-champion Bulldogs last season before being injured. Prior to that, Daniels also spent two seasons at USC playing in Harrell's system.

West Virginia coach Neal Brown said during Big 12 media days that he's looking forward to seeing who emerges as the team's starter.

West Virginia opens the season Sept. 1 at Pitt in the annual Backyard Brawl. ESPN's College GameDay will be on site to kick off the season. West Virginia has won the last three games in the rivalry and seven of 10.

“Quarterback competitions, when they’re won, it’s evident,” Brown told 247Sports.

“Your team knows it. It’s not like you have to go out a social media announcement or stand in front of the team and say this is our starter. When a quarterback wins that competition, it’s very clear."

Greene says he's focusing on becoming a better passer and feeling more comfortable in the pocket. He has appeared in 13 games overall. That includes 11 last season behind starter Jarret Doege, who has transferred to Western Kentucky.

Greene has primarily relied on his running ability to make plays, rushing for 306 yards, four touchdowns and a long run of 67 yards last season. He completed 16-of-26 passes for 147 yards and a long of 28 yards.

"I think I have made some strides there," Greene said in reference to keeping his eyes downfield when looking to pass and feeling more comfortable in the pocket.

Baseball also a possibility

Greene was also an accomplished catcher at Chiles, earning multiple postseason honors and baseball interest from colleges. Greene's father, Charlie Greene, is in his 17th season with the Milwaukee Brewers as a roving instructor who works primarily with catchers and infielders.

Greene admits baseball is his first love, and "it will always have a special place in my heart."

While time management could be a challenge, especially playing quarterback, Greene said he's looking into potentially joining West Virginia's baseball team next season.

"I want to play baseball again but I'd have to get some stuff ironed out," Greene said. "I've played both sports basically my whole life, so I understand time demand."

Of course, at the moment, Greene's focus is on football.

He has added additional strength and bulk to his 5-foot-11 frame, weighing just over 200 pounds while not sacrificing any quickness. He's continuing to study and learn Harrell's system. The Mountaineers haven't finished higher than sixth in the conference and boast just one winning record in three seasons under Brown.

"I love it here and couldn't be happier," Greene said. "We are excited to get started, and have the (opener at Pitt) circled on the calendar for quite a while."

More about Garrett Greene

2021

Academic All-Big 12 First Team. ... Saw action in 11 games as the backup quarterback. ... Finished with 47 carries for 306 yards, four touchdowns and a long run of 67 yards. ... Completed 16-of-26 passes for 147 yards with a long of 28 yards. ... Tallied a career-long, 67-yard rush at TCU. ... Finished with 10 attempts for 55 yards and a score on the ground at Baylor; also completed 4-of-6 passes. ... Ran for 34 yards on five attempts and completed one pass against Texas Tech. ... Scored on a 2-yard touchdown run at Oklahoma. ... Tallied 28 rushing yards against Virginia Tech. ... Made season debut against LIU, rushing for a team-high 98 yards on 14 attempts. ... Also completed 4-of-7 passes for 57 yards against the Sharks

2020 (COVID)

Saw action against Eastern Kentucky and Iowa State. ... Played a season-high 20 offensive snaps against Eastern Kentucky. ... Completed 3-of-4 passes for 24 yards with a long of 11 yards. ... Enrolled at WVU in January

Chiles

A standout dual-threat quarterback for coach Kevin Pettis at Chiles High. ... Member of the prestigious quarterback Elite 11 Club in 2019. ... MVP of the Camp Series Event in Tampa. ... Led team to a 6-6 record and the first round of the state 7A playoffs. ... Passed for 1,155 yards and seven touchdowns to go along with 930 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior. ... One of Neal Brown’s first commitments at West Virginia. ... Standout baseball catcher in high school, earning multiple postseason honors. ... Also offered by Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and TCU.

- Bio information compiled by WVUsports.com  

Reach Jim Henry at jjhenry@tallahassee.com.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Garrett Greene competes for starting quarterback job at West Virginia