Athlon Sports grades coaching hire of Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia

West Virginia fans are elated with the return of Rich Rodriguez to coach the Mountaineers. Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports agrees with their sentiment.

He graded the hire of Rodriguez an A+ while evaluating each and every coach in a new place for 2025: “The West Virginia native went 60-26 from 2001- 07 with the Mountaineers before making the big jump to Michigan. After a disastrous (21-27) stint and acrimonious departure for Michigan, Rodriguez went 43-35 at Arizona (2012-17) and finished 27-10 at Jacksonville State (2022- 24),” Lassan wrote.

“Rodriguez has won at nearly every stop in his coaching career. He’ll be eager to get redemption after a messy breakup from his alma mater in ’07.”

CLICK HERE to buy Athlon’s 2025 magazine online

It’s certainly easy to get excited about Rodriguez heading back to Morgantown. The Big 12 seems as wide open as ever, and he knows what it takes to win at West Virginia. He has unfinished business, and he’s not shy about recognizing that.

The Mountaineers’ leader has remained steadfast in his yearning to bring West Virginia to the highest level of college football. At 62 years old, he has no time for a filter any longer, knowing it’s all about winning in this sport.

“I guess I’ve gotten too old, at least to have coach-speak anymore,” Rodriguez said earlier, via 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.

“… Now, will that lead to a bowl game and winning a bowl game and all that? Every year, our first goal is to win the league. Now, if you win the league, you’re gonna be in the Playoff. So, that’s going to be a goal as well, but that goes a lot along with it. I saw Arizona State do it last year. I know it was in Kenny [Dillingham’s] second year, but they went from down the bottom to the top. 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.”

All told, it should be a fascinating season for Rich Rodriguez in Morgantown, as he returns to the place where he made a name for himself at the college level. It all begins with Robert Morris on Aug. 30, and it won’t get any easier after that.