Northwestern signed another transfer portal quarterback this evening in former West Virginia signal caller Nicco Marchiol.
The commitment comes after the 'Cats previously signed presumptive starter Aidan Chiles from Michigan State a couple months ago. Northwestern also has Ryan Boe waiting in the wings, though he was used almost exclusively as a running threat last season and hasn't shown off much arm talent.
Marchiol has one year of eligibility remaining, after spending four seasons with the Mountaineers. He never had the starting job consistently at West Virginia -- he appeared in just four games this past season.
In his career, Marchiol has thrown for 1,462 yards and 10 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He will bring a veteran presence for sure, but he still hasn't played a ton of football.
At the onset of this offseason, the Wildcats brought in new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, a move that made waves in college football circles. The longtime offensive mind at both the NCAA and NFL levels was immediately on transfer-quarterback watch, as NU's previous starter Preston Stone was out of eligibility.
When head coach David Braun alongside Kelly brought in Chiles, it seemed that they'd found their guy. Chiles is a dual threat athlete who performed well at MSU at times, but it feels like there's still some more to get out of him. The 'Cats are hoping Kelly will give them a different look on the offensive side of the ball, and Chiles will likely be a major part of that.
The subtext of that move was that Northwestern clearly wasn't prepared to turn to Boe as a full-time starter in 2026. Most felt that was likely the case, but this was confirmation.
Now, with Marchiol in the fold, there will be even more competition for reps. Chiles, still, should have a pretty firm grasp on the starter role barring a really poor performance in camp. But Braun has been through this before when Mike Wright seemed like the obvious starter and then had to be replaced early in the season.
Things happen, so it certainly can't hurt to have another guy with some experience backing up Chiles, assuming that is, in fact, the plan.
Boe, meanwhile, is someone we should probably expect to see on the field if Kelly chooses to use him the same way former OC Zach Lujan did. He's shown some rushing ability, so Kelly very well may.
Whatever the case, Marchiol feels like an insurance policy. Along with Chiles, he'll provide a veteran presence in the locker room at the sport's most important position. And though he hasn't started many games, Marchiol has shown some talent in his action.