West Virginia Transfer QB Nicco Marchiol Commits to Northwestern

The former Mountaineers signal-caller looks to reset his career with the Wildcats.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 12:23am

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Nicco Marchiol, a former four-star quarterback recruit who spent the last two seasons at West Virginia, has announced his commitment to transfer to Northwestern. Marchiol's move comes after an injury-shortened 2025 season with the Mountaineers, where he started the first four games before suffering a foot injury that sidelined him for the rest of the year. Despite the setback, Marchiol leaves West Virginia with valuable experience, having completed 62.3% of his passes for 1,462 yards and 10 touchdowns across 23 career games.

Why it matters

Marchiol's transfer to Northwestern provides the Wildcats with an experienced quarterback as they look to reshape their offense heading into the upcoming season. With two years of eligibility remaining, Marchiol could quickly become a key piece for Northwestern as they build toward the future in the Big Ten Conference.

The details

Marchiol began last season as West Virginia's starting quarterback, opening the year with starts in the first four games before suffering the foot injury in September. The injury ultimately led to Marchiol being medically redshirted, leaving him with two seasons of eligibility remaining. Prior to his time with the Mountaineers, Marchiol was a highly regarded four-star recruit in the 2022 class, drawing interest from multiple Power Five programs before signing with West Virginia.

  • Marchiol suffered the foot injury during West Virginia's matchup against Kansas in September 2025.
  • Marchiol was medically redshirted at the end of the 2025 season, leaving him with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

The players

Nicco Marchiol

A former four-star quarterback recruit who spent the last two seasons at West Virginia, where he started the first four games of the 2025 season before suffering a foot injury that sidelined him for the rest of the year.

Rich Rodriguez

The head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, who confirmed the severity of Marchiol's foot injury and the importance of coordination between medical staffs.

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What they’re saying

“He's out in Arizona seeing some doctors out there, and he told me that the one or two doctors that he talked to said that he had a foot problem and that he's going to be out for several weeks.”

— Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia Head Coach

“What I told him is we've got great doctors and trainers, so I want our doctors and trainers to communicate with his doctors so they get on the same page and know exactly what it is.”

— Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia Head Coach

What’s next

Marchiol will look to quickly establish himself as a key piece of the Northwestern offense as the Wildcats reshape their unit heading into the upcoming season.

The takeaway

Marchiol's transfer to Northwestern provides the Wildcats with an experienced quarterback who could become a valuable asset as the team looks to build toward the future in the Big Ten Conference, despite the setback he faced with his injury-shortened 2025 season at West Virginia.