West Virginia Vice President and Athletic Director Wren Baker has made Christmas come early for the folks of Morgantown, West Virginia, and WVU football fans couldn’t be happier.
Rich Rodriguez, the architect of one of the greatest stretches in West Virginia football history, is coming back home to reclaim his job as the Mountaineers’ head coach.
“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Rich Rodriguez and his family back home,” 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.”
In his first stint at West Virginia (2001-07), Rodriguez put together a 60-26 overall record while collecting four conference titles and three consecutive 10-win seasons to finish his tenure. Rich Rod’s teams went 32-5 and finished in the Top 10 of the AFCA Coaches Poll over his final three seasons.
His quarterback driven read-option offense set the table for much of what we see in college football today, and with quarterbacks like Rasheed Marshall and the legendary Pat White, he ran it to near-perfection.
Rodriguez was 24 when he took the West Virginia job the first time around, and now, a quarter-century later, he’s a seasoned veteran with 27 years of head coaching experience that’s exhibited several qualities that WVU fans are glad to have back.
As the statement reads, Rodriguez is a master tactician, innovator, developer of talent, program builder and a winner.
“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!”
Rodriguez has guided six different teams throughout his tenure as a head coach and holds an all-time record of 190-129-2. He returns to Morgantown after guiding Jacksonville State to incredible success during their transition from the FCS level to the FBS over the past three seasons. In 2024, the Gamecocks won their first Conference USA title and closed out their season with a 9-4 record, including a 7-1 mark in league play. Under Rich Rod, the Gamecocks held a 27-10 overall record, went 18-3 in conference play, and won nine games in all three seasons.
