WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — The quarterback position will be one of the most closely watched groups as West Liberty opens a new era under first-year head coach Chad Salisbury, and the Hilltoppers enter the 2026 season with a returning starter leading the way.

Senior Kohl Meisman returns to direct the West Liberty offense after a productive 2025 campaign in which he started eight games. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound quarterback completed 136 of 237 passes for 1,752 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 219.0 passing yards per game. Meisman also finished second on the team in total offense with 1,793 yards, combining his passing production with 41 rushing yards.
For Salisbury, Meisman's value extends beyond his experience on the field.

"Kohl Meisman returns, has established himself as a leader, and he'll take the first snaps," Salisbury said.

Meisman also made a significant commitment to the new coaching staff by remaining on campus throughout the summer, something Salisbury believes speaks to the quarterback's desire to improve. "I think the minute I met Kohl, I saw that he wanted to be good," Salisbury said. "And he has tried to do everything in his power to get to be good, including staying here all summer."

Behind Meisman, the Hilltoppers are still sorting out a competitive battle for the No. 2 position. Sophomore Tuff McConahy, a transfer from Gannon, and freshman Evan Devine are competing for the backup role. McConahy brings additional collegiate experience, while Devine has made significant progress since arriving on the Hilltop.

"Tuff McConahy was here in the spring," Salisbury said. "He and Evan Devine have probably had one of the better battles in camp for that second position, and I'm not really sure who it's going to be just yet. They're still battling."

Salisbury said McConahy's experience gives him an advantage, but Devine has closed the gap quickly. "Tuff's a little bit older and Evan's made up a lot of ground in a couple of weeks," Salisbury said.

With Salisbury's background as a quarterback and longtime work with the position, the Hilltopper quarterbacks have been a major focus throughout the offseason. His expectations are straightforward: make the right reads, pair those reads with proper footwork and avoid making the position more complicated than it needs to be. "I want them to go through their reads, and I want them to go through their reads with the proper footwork," Salisbury said. "I think a lot of what happens is kids, they do too much and we have to slow it down for them because it is such a difficult position."

For Salisbury, the connection between a quarterback's eyes and feet is critical. "If their eyes and their feet work together, then I think they'll have more success," he said. "And I really, really like how our guys have progressed so far this summer with that stuff."

The Hilltoppers will operate primarily from the shotgun, although Salisbury said the offense will use a variety of formations. "We'll be mostly in the gun," he said. That doesn't mean the quarterbacks will simply hand the ball off or throw it. Salisbury wants his quarterbacks to be capable runners when the opportunity presents itself. "In today's world, a guy that can go get a first down when the play breaks down is pivotal," Salisbury said. "Most run game in today's college football has some sort of read on it, so that quarterback is going to have to run, if need be, based on the read that the defense gives him."

Salisbury believes those extra yards can have a significant impact over the course of a game. "For him to get four or five first downs a game, that could change the game for us," he said.

The development of the quarterback room has been one of the more encouraging aspects of the preseason for Salisbury. While the competition behind Meisman remains unsettled, the overall progress of the group has given the first-year head coach confidence heading into the season.

"I'm really excited about the quarterbacks," Salisbury said. "I know every position we've had has progressed, but I'm really excited about the quarterbacks."

That development will be tested quickly when the Hilltoppers open the season Thursday, Aug. 27, against Walsh at West Family Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.

For Salisbury, however, the approach remains the same regardless of which quarterback is taking the snap. He wants his quarterbacks to remain composed, learn from each play and move forward.
"I always tell people when I was a player and I was good, I was good, and when I wasn't, I was bad," Salisbury said. "I want my players to be more levelheaded. It's the next-play mentality, whether it's a touchdown or an interception, we walk over to the sideline, we figure it out."

Salisbury's goal is to develop quarterbacks who can handle the highs and lows of the position without allowing either one to dictate the next play. "I want them to be better than me because I was a little too emotional as a player," he said.




West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.