WVU Alumni
Rich Rodriguez Tells Pat McAfee Denial of $50k for Staff was Catalyst for WVU Exit
Former West Virginia University football coach Rich Rodriguez — newly hired as the offensive coordinator at Louisiana-Monroe by head coach Terry Bowden — appeared on former WVU punter Pat McAfee’s sports talk show on Wednesday and the subject of his departure from the Mountaineers came up.
Rodriguez said that before he left West Virginia for Michigan in December of 2007, he went to the school asking for $50,000 for his assistant coaches pool and was denied, with the school telling him “take it, or leave it” in regard to the offer he was given.
Rodriguez became vilified in the West Virginia community for his departure, with a Public Policy Polling survey five years later finding that 47 percent of West Virginians held an unfavorable opinion of Rodriguez.
A clip of the conversation is posted below:
"I wanted $50,000 more for the assistant coaches pool…
I was told take it or leave it Coach, we've done all we can for you & that's it. That was it, that was the extent of the conversation"@RealCoachRod chats about leaving #WVU #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/alruvIl4lZ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 13, 2021
McAfee’s full show from Wednesday can be watched on YouTube.
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I call BS !!! If that were the case he would have said so back then ! He thought he was too good for us and envisioned his glory at Michigan ! The guy was making over 3 mil a year ! He wouldn’t have left over 50 g’s …..chump change !
Not saying he’s lying 100% but I definitely think it’s more than that to the story and love the comment below when Michigan came all calling he didn’t hesitate hell he didn’t even stay for the bowl game.
Rich was a one trick pony. Once others got the hang of his hurry up offense, he lost as many games as he won. We were better off that he left, and he got wealthier in leaving. It was a win – win.
Who cares?! Good riddance, Rich Rod. WVU is doing fine without you.
Rich Wad escaped town after he got caught cheating on his wife at a downtown Motown hotel.
West Virginia football is in the best position as of now than it has been since the midnight cowboy left us high and dry. You see we West Virginians bleed OLD GOLD & BLUE. Rich Rod BLEEDS RED & WANTED TO LINE HIS POCKETS WITH GREEN. Bill Stewart was THE MOST LOYAL COACH THAT WVU EVER HAD. Then THE MAD SCIENTIST CAME TO TOWN WITH HIS GREAT OFFENSIVE MIND AND LAID AN EGG. Thanks to Oliver Luck for that debacle. Now enter Neal Brown. An ole Appalachian boy who understands the love West Virginians have for the Mountaineers. WE ARE ON A UPWARD TREND TO GREAT RESPECTABILITY NOW. WE LOVE NEAL, AND HE LOVES THE PEOPLE. SOMETHING RICH ROD NEVER RESPECTED! # TRUST THE CLIMB! Something Rich would never understand! GREAT DAYS LIE AHEAD FOR MOUNTAINEER FOOTBALL. I think I can safely say I speak for the MAJORITY OF WEST VIRGINIANS when I say ADIOS DUMIGO!