Rich Rodriguez is back where it all began—in Morgantown, leading a program he helped shape into a national contender nearly two decades ago. Now, as the head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers once again, Rodriguez brings with him a unique blend of past success and recent accomplishments that could help usher in a new era of Mountaineer football.
Rodriguez first led West Virginia from 2001 to 2007, where he built one of the program’s most successful runs in school history. During his seven seasons, the Mountaineers compiled a 60-26 record, highlighted by three straight seasons of at least 10 wins. Under his leadership, WVU became a national powerhouse, known for its high-powered offense and gritty style of play.
“We did have some success before, and I like to think that played a small part maybe in this opportunity,” Rodriguez said about his return. But even he admits that his recent work at Jacksonville State may have been the biggest factor in his hiring.
At Jacksonville State, Rodriguez took over a program transitioning from the FCS to FBS level. That transition can often take years to stabilize, but Rodriguez made an immediate impact. In just three seasons, he led the Gamecocks to a 27-10 record, including two bowl victories and a Conference USA Championship in 2024.
That success didn’t happen by accident. Rodriguez proved he could thrive in today’s evolving college football landscape, managing massive roster turnover and taking full advantage of the transfer portal to rebuild the team each offseason. He embraced change rather than resisted it—and that’s exactly what West Virginia needs now.
“I think I got the job because of what I did at Jax State the last couple years,” Rodriguez explained. “We were able to win and probably had that program ahead of schedule. If we would have lost at Jax State, I would have never got this opportunity.”
Rodriguez isn’t looking to reinvent the wheel. He believes success still comes down to a few basic principles: recruit talented players, develop them, and create a culture of hard work and belief.
“The formula is not that complicated. Get really good players, put them in position to have success, work really hard and you’ll win,” he said.
Rodriguez is now tasked with applying that formula at a Power Five program in the Big 12. And while the conference is more competitive than ever, he brings the confidence and knowledge of someone who has already built a winner here before.
But this job means more than wins and losses. For Rodriguez, West Virginia is home. It’s where his legacy began, and it’s where he hopes to close out his coaching career.
As he embarks on this new chapter, the past offers a blueprint, the present offers promise, and the future is a chance to complete the story he started years ago. With his track record and deep ties to Morgantown, Rich Rodriguez may be just the spark West Virginia football needs to rise again.
