WVU Hiring Rich Rodriguez Graded as Best Coaching Move in Country

True elevations of WVU hiring Rich Rodriguez for a second tenure can’t happen in earnest until games are played, but at least one national outlet loves the move so far.

Now that Rodriguez has been at the job for a couple months, has put together his staff, added new players and is in the midst of working with his team, CBS Sports is ready to hand out a letter grade to West Virginia for the program’s coaching transition.

According to Dennis Dodd, the Mountaineers outperformed every other school who changed coaches. He awarded WVU the only A+ of the group.

“You can go home again! One of the grandfathers of the zone read spread returns to his alma mater and a place he coached from 2001-2007. Rodriguez will bring a sense of nostalgia and possibility to a program that is dying for a sniff of the old days. Rodriguez, 61, is literally the embodiment of those old days,” said Dodd.

And a big reason why WVU earned the A+ is because of big moves that have followed the hiring of Rodriguez. For just a few examples, West Virginia stole defensive coordinator Zac Alley from Oklahoma, welcomed Mountaineer legend Pat White back home and signed over 30 new players from all different levels of football.

WVU HC Rich Rodriguez Calls Zac Alley ‘One of Top Young DCs in Country’

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.

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.

For related stories, Mike Asti explains what he believes to be Rich Rodriguez’s strategywith the quarterback position going into spring ball. Rodriguez also reiterated why he left WVU in 2007.