They say it’s easier the second time around—but in today’s college football world, that’s far from guaranteed.
With NIL, the transfer portal, and conference realignment shaking the foundation of the sport, rebuilding a program isn’t the same uphill climb it used to be. On one hand, you can flip a roster overnight. On the other hand, maintaining stability and culture has never been tougher.
Two of the most intriguing comeback stories in the Big 12 this season belong to head coaches who are returning to familiar stomping grounds: Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia and Scott Frost at UCF. It’s rare enough to see coaches return to schools they once left behind—rarer still when those schools are playing in an entirely different league than the one they left.
Rich Rod’s Reunion in Morgantown
Rodriguez returns to Morgantown nearly two decades after a run that defined the golden era of West Virginia football. From 2001-2007, he led the Mountaineers to four Big East titles and three BCS bowl appearances. That success earned him a shot at Michigan, but the Big Ten experiment didn’t pan out.
After being fired in 2010, Rodriguez resurfaced at Arizona, where he posted a 43-35 record over six seasons and delivered a 10-win campaign in 2014. A solid run was ultimately derailed by off-field issues, leading to his dismissal.
He found redemption at Jacksonville State, guiding the Gamecocks to three straight nine-win seasons and two conference titles. Now, he returns to West Virginia with a fresh perspective and unfinished business—only this time, he’s coaching in the Big 12.
Frost Returns to UCF—This Time With Big 12 Stakes
Scott Frost’s first stint at UCF is the stuff of legend. In 2017, he took a winless team from 0-12 to 13-0 in two seasons, capped off with a Peach Bowl win over Auburn. That “national championship” campaign launched him to Nebraska, where expectations soared but results never followed.
Frost went 16-31 in Lincoln and was let go early in the 2022 season. After taking 2023 off and spending time as an analyst with the Los Angeles Rams, he’s now back in Orlando, hoping to recreate the magic—only this time, he’s facing Big 12 competition.
A New League, a New Landscape
Neither West Virginia nor UCF was a Big 12 member during Rodriguez’s or Frost’s first tenures, and that context matters. UCF has struggled to gain traction in its first two Big 12 seasons, and while Gus Malzahn recruited well, the on-field results lagged behind.
West Virginia, meanwhile, has yet to claim a Big 12 title and has finished in the top two in the league just once since joining in 2012. Both programs are seeking a breakthrough and relying on familiar leadership to get them there.
Can the Past Shape the Future?
Rodriguez and Frost know how to win in Morgantown and Orlando. However, this isn’t the Big East or the American anymore. The stakes are higher, the conference is deeper, and the path to contention is narrower.
Still, in a league where chaos is the norm and turnarounds can happen in a single offseason, don’t count either coach out. ESPN’s future power rankings may place UCF and West Virginia in the bottom tier of the Big 12, but both programs now have a proven winner at the helm.
And if history is any indicator, the second act might be just as compelling as the first.
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