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Rich Rodriguez

Rich "Rod" Rodriguez (b. May 24, 1963, in Grant Town, West Virginia) is the incoming head football coach at the University of Michigan. Prior to moving to Michigan, he was the head coach at West Virginia University for seven seasons.

Playing career

Rich Rodriguez graduated from North Marion High School in 1981 where he had played four sports and was an all state football and basketball player. After high school, Rodriguez attended West Virginia University (WVU) where he first walked on to the football team and later earned a scholarship under coach Don Nehlen. Playing as a defensive back, Rodriguez recorded 54 career tackles over three seasons.

Coaching career

Rich Rodriguez Is a traitor and is a scumbag. he epitomizes everyting that is evil and wrong in todays world. He will fail at Michigan and will have all of West Virginia laughing at him!

Rich Rodriguez Is a traitor and is a scumbag. he epitomizes everyting that is evil and wrong in todays world. He will fail at Michigan and will have all of West Virginia laughing at him!

Rich Rodriguez Is a traitor and is a scumbag. he epitomizes everyting that is evil and wrong in todays world. He will fail at Michigan and will have all of West Virginia laughing at him!

Controversy

On December 16, 2007, Rodriguez informed players at West Virginia that he was leaving to succeed Lloyd Carr as the University of Michigan head football coach. Rodriguez's original resignation letter, which he left with a graduate assistant to deliver to WVU officials shortly after meeting with his players, listed January 3, 2008, as his resignation date, however he subsequently made it clear that he would not be coaching WVU in its January 2 appearance in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl vs the University of Oklahoma. Some press reports suggested that the resignation letter was a ploy intended to put WVU officials into a position of "firing" Rodriguez before the bowl game, allowing him to escape the $4 million buyout clause in his seven-year contract with WVU. On December 18, 2007, Rodriguez informed the university that his resignation would instead be effective at midnight that night.

The announcement of his departure came just one year after Rodriguez last renegotiated his contract with West Virginia, and was made despite his stated long-term commitment to the Mountaineers. After being considered for the head coaching job at Alabama in 2006, he stated to the media, "When the details (of the new contract with WVU) come out, you’ll see that I’m committed to West Virginia University for a very, very long time."

On December 27, 2007, West Virginia University filed a lawsuit against the former head coach demanding payment of his contract buyout, even though the first installment payment is not due until January 19, 2008.

An accusation was made that Rodriguez deliberately sabotaged the last game he coached at WVU, against the University of Pittsburgh, in order to avoid being in a situation of negotiating with Michigan while coaching WVU in the BCS Championship. This accusation remains unproven. This is exasperated by known conflicts between Rodriguez and the new President of WVU, Mike Garrison, and the potential violation of NCAA rules committed by Rodriguez in contacting a recruit he had already made for WVU about his move to Michigan while still employed by WVU.

University of Michigan

Rodriguez was introduced by the Wolverines as their new coach at a news conference held on December 17, 2007 at the Junge Family Champions Center on the University of Michigan campus.

Spread option

Rodriguez has been considered the pioneer/creator of the no huddle spread option offense (although a pass-first version was already being implemented), while at Glenville State, which he refined through his stops at Tulane with Shaun King, Clemson, and West Virginia. This strategy features frequent use of the shotgun formation.

Coaching record

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References

2. http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=22574
3. Associated Press. "Rodriguez Officially Finished". WSAZ. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
4. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gWWa7h4kUTcjsgGxdqgrJkTjp2uwD8TQ62CO0
5. Detroit Free Press. "SPECIAL REPORT: How and Why Rich Rodriguez Left West Virginia For Michigan". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
6. Detroit Free Press. "SPECIAL REPORT: How and Why Rich Rodriguez Left West Virginia For Michigan". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
7. Lang, Arne. "College Coaching Award". Retrieved 2006-10-18.
8. Davie, Bob. "Football 101: Mountaineers spread the wealth". Retrieved 2006-10-18.
9. May, Tim. "College football: Spread option remains in vogue". Retrieved 2007-08-09.

External links

• WVU Coaching Staff Information (PDF)
• CoachRod.com
• Official WVU Sports page
• College Football Frenzy article about Rich Rodriguez - Ralph Friedgen rivalry

• 1963 births
• Living people
• People from West Virginia
• West Virginia Mountaineers football players
• American football safeties
• Tulane Green Wave football coaches
• Clemson Tigers football coaches