Rich Rodriguez is back in Morgantown, and he’s made one thing perfectly clear: this isn’t about reliving the past—it’s about winning now.
“I didn’t get hired for nostalgia reasons; I got hired to win,” Rodriguez said during spring practices, setting the tone for his second stint as head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Rodriguez’s return has stirred excitement among Mountaineer fans who remember his first tenure from 2001 to 2007. During those years, he built one of the most successful runs in program history, posting a 60-26 record, taking the team to two BCS bowl games, and guiding them through three straight seasons with at least ten wins. But nostalgia isn’t part of Rodriguez’s game plan in 2025.
He steps back into the job with a clear purpose: to restore West Virginia football to national relevance. And he’s already proven he can win in today’s ever-evolving college football landscape.
At Jacksonville State, Rodriguez took on the challenge of leading the program through its transition from FCS to FBS. Over three seasons, he compiled a 27-10 record, won the 2024 Conference USA Championship, and was named the league’s Coach of the Year.
Those accomplishments didn’t go unnoticed. They showed that Rodriguez can adapt and succeed, even with limited resources—something that bodes well for his return to Morgantown, where he’ll have more to work with.
Since taking over in December, Rodriguez has wasted no time reshaping the team. The roster overhaul is massive, with 76 new players, including 12 incoming freshmen signed by the previous staff. This major transition means uncertainty is in the air, and expectations are difficult to pin down.
Still, Rodriguez isn’t afraid to set a high bar.
“I guess I’ve gotten too old, at least to have coach-speak anymore,” he said on the College GameDay podcast. “I’m just like, if we’re not playing in contention in November for the conference championship, then I think it’s not a good year.”
That kind of candor is refreshing and direct. It also highlights how far the program has drifted. West Virginia hasn’t been a serious contender for the Big 12 title since 2018, when they tied for third in the conference. Over the last six seasons, the Mountaineers posted a 37-35 record overall and went 25-28 in league play, with their best finish being a tie for fourth in 2023.
But Rodriguez is hopeful. He points to examples like Arizona State, who turned things around dramatically by winning the Big 12 in their debut season after finishing 3-9 the year before under Kenny Dillingham in the Pac-12.
“Now, can we do that in one year, not two years? That’s a harder ask to do, but certainly that will be our focus,” Rodriguez said.
The message is simple: the past doesn’t guarantee the future. Rodriguez’s successful first stint won’t win games in 2025. What matters now is how quickly he can get the Mountaineers competing at the top of the Big 12.
West Virginia football is entering a new era, and with Rich Rodriguez at the helm once again, the focus is crystal clear—win, and win fast.
