West Virginia football eyeing Rich Rodriguez reunion as Neal Brown replacement
12/11/2024 07:02 PM
The West Virginia football teams’ head coaching opening ranks as one of the more intriguing Big 12 football opportunities. Now, the Mountaineers are in the process of replacing the fired Neal Brown. By turning to a familiar face in Rich Rodriguez.
The Mountaineers are targeting the former head coach, per ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel Wednesday. Jacksonville State represents his last stop. But a move back to Morgantown looks imminent.
“A deal is working toward completion, but yet to finalized,” Thamel shared. “Rodriguez, 61, went 60-26 in his seven year there from 2001-07, including three-straight 10-win seasons.”
He enjoyed mountainous success with West Virginia football, during a time the Mountaineers operated in the former Big East Conference. Rodriguez left during a 10-2 campaign to take over at Michigan.
Rodriguez, however, endured a turbulent time in Ann Arbor. He coached only three seasons with the Wolverines. He got fired after a 7-6 season in 2010 — which was considered his best campaign on the campus.
Rodriguez later attempted to build himself back up at Arizona. His Wildcats teams’ went 43-35 overall including producing five winning seasons. But again, his final Arizona team went 7-6. He went 3-2 in bowl games with the Wildcats.
He’s 136-91 all-time as a head coach. Jacksonville State has produced back-to-back nine-win seasons under him. Before taking over for the Gamecocks, Rodriguez spent six years away from head coaching. He’s now in the process of taking over the program he delivered his most success with by resuming West Virginia football.
Brown got fired following WVU’s 6-6 season. He never won more than nine games in each season with the Mountaineers. Brown did produce four bowl teams in Morgantown — including the 2024 one.
West Virginia, however, struggled against Big 12 competition under Brown. They fell under .500 three times. This year’s West Virginia team went 5-4 against conference foes.
West Virginia will play in the Frisco Bowl against Memphis on Dec. 17.
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