Rich Rodriguez, former head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, is reportedly on the verge of returning to the program, as confirmed by CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd. Rodriguez previously coached the Mountaineers from 2001-07, leading the team to four Big East titles and a 60-26 record. Known for his high-scoring spread-option offense, Rodriguez also guided the team to two New Year’s Six bowls during his tenure.
If the hire is finalized, Rodriguez will take over for Neal Brown, who was recently fired after a lackluster six-year stint with the program. Brown accumulated a 37-35 record overall and struggled in conference play with a 25-28 record as a member of the Big 12.
Rodriguez, now 61, has had coaching stints at Michigan and Arizona following his time at West Virginia. He most recently coached at Jacksonville State, where he led the program to a Conference USA title last week. Despite a couple of controversial departures from previous coaching jobs, Rodriguez’s return to West Virginia seems imminent.
With extensive experience and a successful coaching record, Rodriguez’s potential return to West Virginia has generated excitement among fans and alumni of the program. While nothing has been officially announced yet, it appears that Rodriguez could soon be back on the sidelines in Morgantown, ready to lead the Mountaineers back to success.
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