RG3 Mindblown Over Mike Hawkins Jr.'s Monster Performance, Tabs Him Player of the Week

When you are receiving a shoutout from a Heisman Trophy winner, you know you just did something special.

West Virginia quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr. turned heads all over the country this past weekend following his 25/33 day against the Cincinnati Bearcats in which he threw for 464 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 76 yards and a pair of scores.

He may have been snubbed by the Big 12 Conference for the offensive player of the week honor, but he was named the National Walter Camp Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season, while also getting some love from former Baylor and NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Hawkins made several big plays in the game and bailed the offense out by using his legs to keep a play alive and deliver a strike downfield. One of the most impressive plays of the day was when he was flushed to his left and had to make a throw against his body, on the run, deep downfield to DJ Epps, who nearly turned it into a touchdown.

He also had another one where he was flushed left, saw nothing there, hit the reverse button, and started scrambling toward the Cincinnati sideline, connecting on another big play to Epps just before going out of bounds.

It may not have been SportsCenter Top 10-worthy, but his jump pass to get the ball over a jumping defensive back to Amari Latimer was insane improvisation. To make that decision that quickly and deliver the perfect amount of touch to get it to his back and allow him to make something happen after the catch was incredible.

And then, of course, the two big pass plays on the final drive which helped the Mountaineers win the game. Facing a 3rd and 9 at his own 2-yard line, Hawkins heaved the ball up deep downfield, giving his big-bodied receiver, Prince Strachan, a chance to make a play on the ball. It was an impressive catch that was heavily contested, but credit goes to Hawkins too for giving him an opportunity to pull it down. And then two plays later, he throws Strachan open over the middle of the field, putting WVU deep in Cincinnati territory.

Hawkins deserves every bit of the national recognition he is getting, and I have a feeling that this is just the beginning, considering he only has seven games of experience in this system.