Rich Rodriguez made an emotional return to West Virginia as he was officially introduced as the head coach of the Mountaineers. The overwhelming support from fans at the press conference overshadowed a sole heckler who was quickly shut down and escorted out of the WVU Coliseum. Rodriguez, who previously coached at WVU from 2001-07 before leaving for Michigan, expressed regret for leaving the program and emphasized his love for the school.
Rodriguez signed a lucrative five-year contract with WVU, reportedly worth an average annual salary of $3.75 million with incentives based on performance metrics. During his first stint at West Virginia, Rodriguez had a successful run with a record of 60-26 and five bowl appearances, including a Sugar Bowl victory. He was responsible for overseeing a revolutionary spread-option offense that garnered national attention.
The bitter memory of a loss to rival Pitt in 2007 was evident during Rodriguez’s return, as he took playful jabs at the Panthers during the press conference and in a subsequent interview. Rodriguez’s competitive spirit and dedication to the Mountaineers were on full display as he vowed to lead the team back to success.
West Virginia fans are eagerly anticipating the matchup against Pitt next season on Sept. 13, as Rodriguez’s return has reignited the rivalry between the two schools. With Rodriguez back at the helm, expectations are high for the Mountaineers as they look to recapture the success of his previous tenure at the university.
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