West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez breaks silence on returning to Mountaineers
12/12/2024 10:52 AM
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” is a popular anthem for the West Virginia football program, and it has never been more apt than today as Rich Rodriguez returns to his home state and the Mountaineers to become the West Virginia football coach for a second time.
Rodriguez, most recently the Jacksonville State head coach, had been rumored as a top candidate for the WVU job opening since Neal Brown’s dismissal on Dec. 1, but there was still skepticism that he and the Mountaineers would reunite after Rodriguez left the program in December 2007 to become the Michigan football head coach. That speculation was officially put to rest today, though, with the announcement of Rodriguez’s hiring.
“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Rich Rodriguez and his family back home,” WVU athletic director Wren Baker said. “Coach Rodriguez understands what it takes to win at West Virginia, and I believe he will pour his heart, soul and every ounce of his energy into our program. I am convinced Coach Rodriguez wants what is best for West Virginia, WVU and West Virginia football, and I am excited about the future of our program.”
Rodriguez, undoubtedly one of the most successful head coaches in West Virginia football program history, also expressed his excitement about returning to his home state and donning the blue and gold again.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be the head football coach at West Virginia University,” Rodriguez said. “My family and I are filled with gratitude to lead the Mountaineer football program again and look forward to working with the many supporters, fans, and friends to build the best football program in America! Take Me Home!”
From 2001 to 2007, Rodriguez led the Mountaineers to a 60-26 record, four Big East Conference championships, and two BCS bowl games. However, Rodriguez’s final season ended in disaster; the then-undefeated Mountaineers shockingly lost 13-9 to rival Pittsburgh in the final game of the season, knocking WVU out of contention for a national title. A little more than two weeks later, Rodriguez left West Virginia, his alma mater, for Michigan.
Rodriguez did not experience as much success at Michigan or any of his subsequent stops as he did at West Virginia, but he did manage to lead Jacksonville State, even while making the transition from FCS to FBS, to three consecutive nine-win seasons. Last week, Rodriguez and the Gamecocks demolished Western Kentucky to win the Conference USA title, the program’s first FBS conference championship.
Between Rodriguez’s departure and return, West Virginia won 59% of its games and won two conference titles, although the Mountaineers have zero Big 12 championships since joining the conference in 2012.
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