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Rich Rodriguez linked to power-conference head coaching job
Published:
Rich Rodriguez might be heading back to be the head coach at West Virginia, according to a report.
The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy shared that news on Saturday morning. It would be a return to Morgantown for the 61-year-old Rodriguez, who coached the Mountaineers from 2001-07 and compiled a gaudy 60-26 record there.
Per McMurphy, Rodriguez isn’t the “clear-cut favorite” for the West Virginia coach but is “among the leading candidates.”
Jacksonville State coach Rich Rodriguez is in mix for West Virginia job, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Rodriguez, who was WVU's coach from 2001-07, is not the clear cut favorite but among leading candidates, source said
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 7, 2024
West Virginia fired head coach Neal Brown last Sunday after the Mountaineers finished a 6-6 regular season that included a 5-4 mark in the Big 12. Brown had an overall record of just 37-35 in his 6 seasons at West Virginia. None of his teams competed for a Big 12 championship or were even ranked in the AP Top 25 poll. They also lost 9 consecutive times to ranked opponents.
A change was needed, and now West Virginia might be turning to a familiar name to replace Brown. Rodriguez is currently the head coach at Jacksonville State, and he guided the Gamecocks to the Conference USA championship on Friday night with a 52-12 rout of Western Kentucky.
Rodriguez has a 27-10 record at Jacksonville State, where he’s been the head coach since 2022. Rodriguez has also been the head coach at Michigan and Arizona, coaching at those schools following his stint at West Virginia.
Now, Rodriguez could be heading back to Morgantown in 2025.