Was Rich Rodriguez Ever Close to a WVU Return in the Past?

Rich Rodriguez is back as head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, but did his return almost happen several years ago?

After his controversial departure from WVU in 2007, most never expected to see Rodriguez back roaming a sideline at Milan Puskar Stadium again. However, a reunion to “make things right” was something always on Rodriguez’s mind. He even admitted as much during his welcome back press conference.

But even though Rodriguez wanted to eventually close his career with the Mountaineers, he also had to come to terms with the fact that his dream was unlikely to ever be a reality, especially since he basically heard that directly from WVU.

“Were there times that I thought about coming back? Well, the opportunity didn’t present itself very much and I wasn’t in position. It did once, about five or six years ago, and they had different administrators, and they said I wasn’t even in the top five,” Rodriguez revealed during an interview with 365 Sports at Big 12 Media Days.

I’m like, well, hell, I got better odds in the lottery. So I didn’t worry about it. I got a good job at Jax State, won there, and then all of a sudden, this happens in a hurry. So, it’s been neat.”

WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez on the field during the Gold-Blue Showcase in April, 2025. (WVSN photo by Kelsie LeRose)

Rodriguez is alluding to when the WVU job opened after Dana Holgorsen’s exit in 2019. At that time, Shane Lyons was the athletic director and he was looking to elevate a young up and coming coach. Lyons landed on hiring Neal Brown. It’s also worth noting the growing sense of forgiveness among WVU fans about Rodrigues was far from as prevalent at that time.

It’s possible that West Virginia enduring the program’s darkest stretch in decades and Rodriguez showing he can still win at Jacksonville State combined to make this the right time for the two sides to get back together.

Rodriguez, a West Virginia native, currently holds a 190-128-2 overall coaching record. He experienced most of his success while leading the Mountaineers from 2001-2007. At WVU, Rodriguez won four Big East titles and was named conference Coach of the Year twice. He added a third Coach of the Year honor in the Pac-12 in 2014 with Arizona.

Courtesy of WVU Athletics

No matter how many games he won and trophies he lifted, Rodriguez’s first WVU tenure was tainted by the way he left – bolting for Michigan following the infamous 13-9 loss to Pitt, a defeat that cost the Mountaineers a trip the BCS National Championship Game.

After his departure from WVU, Rodriguez spent three lackluster years at Michigan and six seasons with Arizona, highlighted by winning 10 games and a trip to the Fiesta Bowl in 2014. Most recently, he led Jacksonville State through a successful transition from FCS to FBS and won the 2024 Conference USA title before leaving to return to West Virginia.

Find more coverage of Rich Rodriguez at WV Sports Now.

For a related story, Mike Asti looks at Rich Rodriguez’s case foe the College Football Hall of Fame.