Rich Rodriguez explains why he continues coaching: 'A lot easier than working in the coal mines or digging a ditch'

Veteran head coach Rich Rodriguez is making his long-awaited return to West Virginia this season, 18 years after departing the program for the Michigan job.

In Rodriguez’s first stint, the Mountaineers saw immense success. In seven seasons (2001-2007), WVU posted a 60-26 record with three straight bowl game victories from 2005-2007 (Sugar Bowl, Gator Bowl and Fiesta Bowl).

Since his departure, West Virginia boasts just two 10-win seasons in the past 16 seasons and have been nowhere near National Championship contenders. Rodriguez himself has struggled as well, as he was dismissed from Michigan after just three seasons. He coached at Arizona from 2012-2017, but then bounced around from Ole Miss to Hawaii to Louisiana-Monroe as an assistant coach. After spending the past three seasons as the head coach at Jacksonville State, Rich Rod is finally back in Morgantown.

When asked why he continues to keeps coaching at Big 12 Media Days in Frisco, TX, Rodriguez delivered a hilarious response.

“Hell, it’s a lot easier than working in the coal mines or digging a ditch,” Rodriguez said with a grin. “You know what I mean? You get frustrated because you can do everything right in recruiting and develop a relationship and all that kind of stuff and the guy just gets bought. That’s just the way it is… transactional. It’s like facilities. It was important to have that kind of stuff. Well now, that’s still important but money is becoming the driven factor for most of them. So that can be frustrating if you don’t have the same resources but I think now with the revenue share and other stuff I think at least it’ll be a little bit closer and better, but I just love coaching.”

“I started at the Division II level and you’re not taking a job for money or fame or anything like that. You’re taking a job because you love coaching. You love being around athletics. And that’s why I still love it. I still call plays, I still get in the middle of everything we do on offense, defense and special teams. I love the game first off, but also love coaching guys and seeing guys go from what level they’re at right now to another level. Watching them grow as players and helping them along the way is still my greatest thrill.”

“There’s nothing like a winning locker room in football, because there’s so many people that did so much for you to have success and in the locker room you see everyone hugging and high-fiving each other. That’s the thrill that keeps me going.”

West Virginia opens its 2025 season on August 30 against Robert Morris.