Rich Rodriguez
5-3, won 2 straight, on track for 6-6 in the regular season.
Now
Career arc
Bowls and playoffs: 6-6
West Virginia’02L’03L’04L’05W’06WMichigan’10LArizona’12W’13W’14L’15W’17LJacksonville State’23W
Show all 12 games
2002Continental Tire BowlL 22-48
2003Gator BowlL 7-41
2004Gator BowlL 18-30
2005Sugar BowlW 38-35
2006Gator BowlW 38-35
Michigan
2010Gator BowlL 14-52
Arizona
2012New Mexico BowlW 49-48
2013AdvoCare V100 BowlW 42-19
2014Fiesta BowlL 30-38
2015New Mexico BowlW 45-37
2017Foster Farms BowlL 35-38
Jacksonville State
2023New Orleans BowlW 34-31
This week Wed Nov 4
- Last gameW 24-20 at TCU Sat Oct 24
- This season5-3 won 2 straight
- Hot seat18% 23rd of 132
- On track for6-6 regular season
- Nextat Texas Tech Sat Nov 7
Win and he’s at 12%. Lose and he’s at 18%.
at Texas Tech, Sat Nov 7, 9:30 pm ET 
· No. 13 Texas Tech is 7-1 · Rodriguez vs. Joey McGuire: 0-1 · West Virginia’s chance to win: 5% (the site’s model)
- If West Virginia wins: 12%, 33rd of 132
- Now: 18%
- If West Virginia loses: 18%, 23rd of 132
Is he getting fired?
18% chance he’s out after the season · 23rd of 132 FBS head coaches · Warm
If he finishes…
Bar: how likely that finish isNumber: his chance of being out
- 5-719%
- 6-612%
- 7-58%
His week
This Is for Ike Morris”
Rich Rodriguez Shares Heartfelt Words After WVU Victory
Yahoo Sports headline · Sun Oct 25Several headlines named him in the last 7 days
48th of 138 FBS head coaches
The headlines, Oct 25–Nov 4 from several outlets
- Yahoo SportsMike Hawkins Jr. Explains Why Rich Rodriguez and WVU Were the Right FitWed Oct 28
- Yahoo Sports'This Is for Ike Morris': Rich Rodriguez Shares Heartfelt Words After WVU VictorySun Oct 25
Sports IllustratedRich Rodriguez Doesn't Want 'Hired Guns' at WVU — Here's His Message to PlayersTue Nov 3- Sports IllustratedRich Rodriguez vs. Joey McGuire: What the History Says About Bye WeeksFri Oct 30
On3Rich Rodriguez weighs in on 24-team playoffThu Oct 29- Hail WVRich Rodriguez shares his expectation for loyalty from West Virginia football playersTue Nov 3
- WV NewsWVU Football Rich Rodriguez Media Availability 11/3/26Tue Nov 3
- WBOYWatch: Rich Rodriguez recaps off week, previews Texas TechTue Nov 3
- Hail WVRich Rodriguez reveals he thought West Virginia's defense 'grew up' against TCUMon Nov 2
- WV NewsA variety of emotions for WVU’s Rich RodriguezTue Oct 27
Offense: 47th of 138 per play. Defense: 138th.
4 games left
- Sat Nov 7at Texas Tech (7-1)5%
- Sat Nov 14vs. Kansas (3-5)33%
- Sat Nov 21vs. Houston (6-2)10%
- Fri Nov 27at Utah (8-0)
5%
Percent: West Virginia’s chance to win, from the site’s model. Records are through today. Networks as announced; the rest are set closer to kickoff.
How the season got here
- Oct 26–Nov 1No game5 headlines · 67th of 138Mike Hawkins Jr. Explains Why Rich Rodriguez and WVU Were the Right Fit Yahoo Sports“This Is for Ike Morris”Rich Rodriguez Shares Heartfelt Words After WVU Victory, Oct 25
- Oct 19–25W 24-20 at TCU16 headlines · 29th of 138What Rich Rodriguez Said Following the Win at TCU Sports Illustrated“Shoot, I'm just happy to get the win”Rodriguez, Oct 24
- Oct 12–18W 45-42 vs. Cincinnati5 headlines · 51st of 138
- Oct 5–11L 31-52 vs. Arizona23 headlines · 17th of 138What Rich Rodriguez Said Following the Loss to Arizona Sports Illustrated
- Sep 28–Oct 4L 42-45 at Iowa State17 headlines · 27th of 138Rich Rodriguez Puts WVU DC Zac Alley on Notice After ‘Atrocious’ Defensive Effort Yahoo Sports
- Sep 21–27 · rebuiltL 24-41 vs. Oklahoma State9 headlines · 40th of 138WVU Football Rich Rodriguez Oklahoma State Postgame 9/26/26 | Tv | wvnews.com WV News
Each week as this page showed it at the time. Weeks marked rebuilt came before this page existed: they were built afterward from only what was known by the end of that week.
Watch the biggest plays from West Virginia’s games, ranked by how much each moved the chance to win.
Fans
Fan chatter
- Oct 17W 45-42 vs. Cincinnati
Serious question... Does Rhett Rodriguez actually coach?
West Virginia fan - Oct 10L 31-52 vs. Arizona
Oh wow another terrible play by offensive mastermind Richard Rodriguez
West Virginia fan - Oct 3L 42-45 at Iowa State
I bet it could be fixed if we hired at least one more Rodriguez family member
West Virginia fan
Earlier weeks
- Sep 19W 38-27 vs. Virginia
20 million dollar roster btw. Nuke Richard Rodriguez to the Sun
West Virginia fan - Sep 5W 31-24 vs. Coastal Carolina
Fire every coach with the last name Rodriguez.
West Virginia fan
Stats
Big games
Pick a job to see its years on their own.
The big-game ledger
How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.
6-3 against his rivals at West Virginia. Winless in 3 tries against Larry Coker.
Signature games
Tags describe each game; they aren’t scores. The weighting that picks these games is still being tested.
The big-game ledger
How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.
2-7 against his rivals at Michigan. Winless in 3 tries against Jim Tressel.
Signature games
These losses tie at the model's current max -- an editorial pick among a real tie, not a clean ranking.
Tags describe each game; they aren’t scores. The weighting that picks these games is still being tested.
The big-game ledger
How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.
2-4 against his rivals at Arizona. Just 1-5 against Jim Mora.
Signature games
Tags describe each game; they aren’t scores. The weighting that picks these games is still being tested.
The big-game ledger
How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.
Nobody he faced three or more times there has a winning record against him.
Signature games
Tags describe each game; they aren’t scores. The weighting that picks these games is still being tested.
The big-game ledger
How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.
1-0 against his rivals at West Virginia.
Signature games
These losses tie at the model's current max -- an editorial pick among a real tie, not a clean ranking.
Tags describe each game; they aren’t scores. The weighting that picks these games is still being tested.
The big-game ledger
How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.
11-14 against his rivals. Just 1-5 against Jim Mora.
Signature games
These losses tie at the model's current max -- an editorial pick among a real tie, not a clean ranking.
Tags describe each game; they aren’t scores. The weighting that picks these games is still being tested.
ATS is his record against the spread: did his team beat the closing betting line, winning by more than it or losing by less? Lines start in 2013; a dash means fewer than 6 of those games had one. One-score games carry no spread record: a big favorite that wins a close game has almost always failed to cover, so that number would say nothing about the coach.
Defining games during this era
From our list of the 50 most defining games of the Playoff era, ranked by how much each game mattered, not by date.
How he plays
Run/pass mix, by field position
Called about what the situation called for under every play-caller.
3,351 run and pass snaps at West Virginia, 2004–2025, his own games, one row per offensive coordinator. Each cell is how much more often he passed than the rest of FBS did in the same situation (field zone, down, distance, score, quarter, same season), in percentage points. Play-by-play starts in 2004, so his earlier seasons there aren’t in it.
Pass rate, stint by stint
Where each stint’s offense sat between run-first and pass-first, and how far it moved from one season to the next, against the FBS-wide average of 41% pass. The band is that stint’s real season-to-season range, not a fixed-width box.
Season-to-season pass-rate range for all 449 FBS coaching stints with at least three covered seasons, 2004–2025.
Building the roster
Four numbers on how he actually stocks a roster, from signing day to draft day.
His recruiting, really
His one ranked West Virginia class of his own finished #25 nationally.
Jacksonville State
West VirginiaAcross every program: 3 ranked classes of his own, averaging #96 nationally.
His class — he had the full signing cycleTransition — he was hired mid-cycle
Rank is each signing class’s national recruiting rank (#1 is best). Only a class he had a full signing cycle to build counts as his; inherited and mid-transition classes still show here, faded, but stay out of the average.
Roster ownership
Roster ownership
of his 2024 roster arrived on his watch — 129 of 129 players. Nobody is left from before he was hired.
Of his own players on this roster, 17% came through the transfer portal; the rest are non-portal arrivals (high-school signees, JUCO transfers, walk-ons).
Everyone he has brought in, 2023–2024Counting players who have since left: 18% of the 65 arrivals we can classify came through the portal.
“His own” means the player arrived while he was head coach; “inherited” means a predecessor brought him in.
Size up front
Size up front
Offensive linemen on his Arizona rosters have averaged within a few pounds of the FBS average (2012–2017). In the two seasons before he arrived, Arizona’s line averaged 4 lb heavier than the FBS average.
Average listed weight of every offensive lineman on each season’s roster, holdovers included, against every FBS roster that season (2010 on; a program needs 3+ seasons under him to appear). Weights are the ones programs publish, and programs list differently. This describes size only — not scheme, and not quality.
Where he recruits
is his biggest recruiting state: 14 of 37 signees (38%) across his 2023–2024 tenure, drawn from 6 states in all. Next: AL (10).
86% of his signees come from GA and its 5 border states (AL 10, FL 8).
Off this map: 2 signees to the west (CA, TX) and 2 to the south (FL 2).
- median hometown distance
- 133 mi
- within 100 mi
- 42%
- within 500 mi
- 85%
- beyond 1,000 mi
- 0%
The map counts signed recruits across his tenure; the distance figures cover his current roster, transfers and walk-ons included. Two different groups, kept separate on purpose.
News
Stories about him
Headlines, grouped by what they are about. Each is the outlet’s own.
This week
Press conference and quotes
- On3WVU football: Rich Rodriguez Radio Show Summary: 11-2Nov 3
- On3Rich Rodriguez weighs in on 24-team playoffOct 29
- Sports IllustratedRich Rodriguez vs. Joey McGuire: What the History Says About Bye WeeksOct 30
- Hail WVRich Rodriguez reveals he thought West Virginia's defense 'grew up' against TCUNov 2
- Rich Rodriguez Press Conference Recap: Post Bye Week/Texas TechNov 3
This season
Press conference and quotes
- WBOY +2Watch: Rich Rodriguez on what to expect from No. 25 VirginiaSep 15
- On3Rich Rodriguez press conference summary: 8-5Aug 5
- Sports Illustrated +1Rich Rod Says WVU Isn't Adding Anyone 'Right Now'... But That Could Change FastAug 6
All 2 articles
- Sports Illustrated +1Rich Rod Shares Biggest Concern & When He'll Know If WVU Will Be AlrightAug 7
All 2 articles
- WV NewsWVU Football Rich Rodriguez Press Conference 8/14/26Aug 14
Quarterback and depth chart
- Sports IllustratedRich Rod Talks 1st Day of Camp, Roster Spots, QB Plan, Low Expectations + MoreAug 5
- On3Rich Rodriguez focused on winning games, not on a depth chartAug 10
- Sports IllustratedRich Rod Reveals What WVU’s Quarterbacks Still Need to ImproveAug 10
- On3Michael Hawkins has shown Rich Rodriguez something young QBs often lackAug 14
- Sports IllustratedRich Rod on QB1: 'I May Know Right Now. Probably Do'Aug 14
Loss
The Dominion Post +1Rich Rodriguez looking for new plan for WVU football after loss to Oklahoma StateSep 29All 2 articles
- The Dominion PostWVU’s 1st fall practice didn’t meet Rich Rodriguez’s high expectations - The Dominion PostAug 5
- On3Sense of urgency a focus for Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia in fall campAug 6
- On3Rich Rodriguez wants to see execution improve as fall camp continuesAug 7
- The Dominion PostRich Rodriguez planning for scrimmages to get WVU game ready in short fall camp - The Dominion PostAug 12
Game preview
- Sports IllustratedWVU Fans Predict How Many Games Rich Rod Will Win in Year TwoAug 9
- WV Sports NationRich Rodriguez ‘anxious’ to see what WVU has as season opener nearsAug 21
- Sports IllustratedEvery WVU Football Season Opener Result Under Rich RodriguezAug 28
- On3Rich Rodriguez: Comfortable playing nine or ten guys on OL in openerSep 1
Locked OnWVU insider predicts Rich Rod’s WVU Is Ready to Make a massive Statement!Sep 2
Injuries
- The Dominion PostRich Rodriguez frustrated with WVU football injuries as Week 1 preparations start -Aug 19
- Sports IllustratedRich Rod Gives Major Update on WR Prince Strachan After Spring Shoulder InjuryAug 20
- Hail WVRich Rodriguez 'frustrated' with West Virginia's injury luck in preseason practicesAug 20
- News and SentinelRich Rod frustrated with West Virginia’s injury issues -Aug 21
- Sports IllustratedRich Rodriguez Delivers Good Injury News on Several Key WVU PlayersSep 22
Win
- On3WVU's first scrimmage will show Rich Rodriguez who he can win withAug 12
- On3Why Rich Rodriguez remains convinced WVU can win bigAug 19
HeavyRich Rodriguez Has Brutal Message After WVU WinSep 6
WV Sports NowRich Rodriguez on 'Conservative' Play-calling, Clears Up CC WinSep 8- WV NewsRich Rodriguez irked by defensive discipline in WVU's win over Coastal CarolinaSep 8
In his own words
Every quote, back to June 2026
In his own words
We have no identity
Upon receiving information of the arrest, I have immediately and indefinitely put Noel Devine on leave from the Mountaineer football coaching staff
The first half we played pretty well. The second half, we stunk
The penalties, we gave up long drives, lost contain, the offense wasn’t moving the ball, so we’ve got a lot to work on. I’m proud of the guys, and the way they came out, but the second half was embarrassing. We’ll get that fixed.
The first half, we played and executed like we’re capable of. We’ll learn from this and get better.
I don’t think it changes your recruiting model
I stood by Pat’s side the whole time so he wouldn’t write a check for them
Several stories about him this week
Sat Nov 7: Texas Tech
54th of 104 FBS head coaches · from several outlets and r/CFB
Rich Rodriguez Doesn't Want 'Hired Guns' at WVU — Here's His Message to Players
Sports Illustrated Nov 3 · one outlet
What they’re talking about
Dozens of stories about him this season
from dozens of outlets and r/CFB
Rich Rodriguez and West Virginia look for turnaround after a 4-8 season and roster exodus
Bozeman Daily Chronicle +3 Aug 21 · a few outlets
All 4 articles
What they’re talking about
What was said at each stop
Stories we tracked, by school.
Jacksonville State2023 to 2024not tracked
Arizona2012 to 2017not tracked
Michigan2008 to 2010not tracked West VirginiaDozens of stories2001 to now
Most about: press conference and quotes, quarterback and depth chart, game preview.
- WBOY +2Watch: Rich Rodriguez on what to expect from No. 25 VirginiaSep 15
- On3Rich Rodriguez press conference summary: 8-5Aug 5
- Sports Illustrated +1Rich Rod Isn't Losing Sleep Over WVU's Big 12 OutlookAug 6
All 2 articles
Sports IllustratedRich Rod Isn't Losing Sleep Over WVU's Big 12 OutlookYahoo SportsRich Rod Isn't Losing Sleep Over WVU's Big 12 Outlook - Sports Illustrated +1Rich Rod Says WVU Isn't Adding Anyone 'Right Now'... But That Could Change FastAug 6
All 2 articles
- Sports Illustrated +1Rich Rod Shares Biggest Concern & When He'll Know If WVU Will Be AlrightAug 7
All 2 articles
Dozens of stories about him across 26 seasons
Is he on the hot seat? What has he said?
Stories are headlines grouped by what they are about, counted through Nov 4.
Career
Coaching career
The arc of his career is on Now.
Builder meaningfully raised a program that wasn't one · Inheritor inherited a power and neither built it higher nor let it collapse · Steady no large move in either direction on our stature ladder
Succeeded by Charles Kelly (2025–now).
| Season | 2023 | 2024 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record & result | |||
| Record | 9-4 | 9-4 | |
| Postseason | W bowl | — | |
| Coordinators | |||
| OC | Rod Smith | Rod Smith | |
| DC | Zac Alley | Luke Olson | |
| Outcome — opponent-adjusted efficiency percentile | |||
| Offense | 19 | 94 | |
| Defense | 94 | 49 | |
| Tendencies — play-by-play, neutral script | |||
| 1st-down pass% | 22.1 | 25.3 | |
| Red-zone pass% | 26.5 | 16.3 | |
| 4th-down go%opp. territory | 36.4 | 36.4 | |
Outperforms his recruiting talent, on both sides of the ball.
Brings in smaller-than-position-typical players than most.
Recruits older, more experienced transfers than most.
Coach of the Year: Conference USA Coach of the Year (2024)
7th-best Arizona tenure of 20 by the numbers.
Followed Tim Kish (2011) · succeeded by Kevin Sumlin (2018–2020).
| Season | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record & result | |||||||
| Record | 8-5 | 8-5 | 10-4 | 7-6 | 3-9 | 7-6 | |
| Postseason | W bowl | W bowl | L bowl | W bowl | — | L bowl | |
| Coordinators | |||||||
| OC | — | — | Calvin Magee / Rod Smith | Calvin Magee / Rod Smith | Calvin Magee / Rod Smith | Calvin Magee / Rod Smith | |
| DC | — | — | Jeff Casteel | Jeff Casteel | Marcel Yates | Marcel Yates | |
| Outcome — opponent-adjusted efficiency percentile | |||||||
| Offense | 94 | 69 | 53 | 76 | 34 | 95 | |
| Defense | 12 | 76 | 56 | 15 | 14 | 11 | |
| Tendencies — play-by-play, neutral script | |||||||
| 1st-down pass% | 44.9 | 32.4 | 42.3 | 42.1 | 31.5 | 25.6 | |
| Red-zone pass% | 42.4 | 29.4 | 45.9 | 40.8 | 23.0 | 20.2 | |
| 4th-down go%opp. territory | 34.9 | 42.9 | 33.3 | 36.0 | 56.0 | 21.6 | |
Outperforms his recruiting talent on offense and underperforms his recruiting talent on defense.
6 NFL Draft picks: Ka'Deem Carey (2014), Shaquille Richardson (2014), Marquis Flowers (2014), Will Parks (2016), Scooby Wright III (2016), Dane Cruikshank (2018)
10th-best Michigan tenure of 13 by the numbers.
Followed Lloyd Carr (1995–2007) · succeeded by Brady Hoke (2011–2014).
| Season | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record & result | ||||
| Record | 3-9 | 5-7 | 7-6 | |
| Postseason | — | — | L bowl | |
| Outcome — opponent-adjusted efficiency percentile | ||||
| Offense | 10 | 40 | 85 | |
| Defense | 79 | 46 | 12 | |
| Tendencies — play-by-play, neutral script | ||||
| 1st-down pass% | 31.5 | 31.1 | 29.9 | |
| Red-zone pass% | 28.6 | 27.6 | 29.5 | |
| 4th-down go%opp. territory | 33.3 | 22.2 | 35.9 | |
7 NFL Draft picks: Terrance Taylor (2009), Morgan Trent (2009), Brandon Graham (2010), Zoltan Mesko (2010), Steven Brown (2010), Jonas Mouton (2011), Steve Schilling (2011)
1st-best West Virginia tenure of 16 by the numbers.
Followed Don Nehlen (1980–2000) · succeeded by Bill Stewart (2008–2010) · returned in 2025, succeeding Neal Brown (2019–2024).
| Season | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2025 | 2026 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record & result | ||||||||||
| Record | 3-8 | 9-4 | 8-5 | 8-4 | 11-1 | 11-2 | 10-2 | 4-8 | 5-3 | |
| Postseason | — | L bowl | L bowl | L bowl | W bowl | W bowl | — | — | — | |
| Coordinators | ||||||||||
| OC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| DC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Zac Alley | Zac Alley | |
| Outcome — opponent-adjusted efficiency percentile | ||||||||||
| Offense | — | — | — | 73 | 76 | 95 | 90 | 10 | 68 | |
| Defense | — | — | — | 82 | 37 | 20 | 66 | 47 | 3 | |
| Tendencies — play-by-play, neutral script | ||||||||||
| 1st-down pass% | — | — | — | 19.8 | 15.0 | 16.3 | 25.6 | 28.0 | 18.8 | |
| Red-zone pass% | — | — | — | 19.8 | 14.4 | 20.7 | 21.3 | 20.5 | 7.1 | |
| 4th-down go%opp. territory | — | — | — | 42.3 | 27.3 | 23.1 | 34.3 | 57.6 | 50.0 | |
Underperforms his recruiting talent on offense and performs about as expected for his recruiting talent on defense.
A portal-built roster.
Typical size for position, once adjusted for position mix.
Recruits younger transfers than most — more of a development bet.
10 NFL Draft picks: Lance Nimmo (2003), James Davis (2003), Quincy Wilson (2004), Adam Jones (2005), Chris Henry (2005), Rasheed Marshall (2005), Alton McCann (2006), Steve Slaton (2008) + 2 more
AI Narratives — “West Virginia — stat check”.
All-time wins
Wins at programs this site tracks, 1936–present — one consistent count for every coach, not each program’s own historically reported total.
2nd all-time at West Virginia
Was he good?
The data leans positive, where the data can separate from zero: every conclusive reading points the same way.
+12.0 pts at West Virginia · #173 of 1290 · top quarterModel fit as of 2026-09-04.
Coordinator years
Offensive coordinator across 2 programs, 2 stints, before and after wearing the head-coach hat — every season measured on the same axis, whether he personally ran the unit or someone else did.
How to read this. Coordinator seasons come from our coordinator career records; head-coaching-era seasons are the same unit's FBS-relative percentile for those years, regardless of who coached it, read directly from the staff assignments record. A role change (a “hinge”) is a fact, never a performance verdict — only the season-by-season data itself is colored by outcome.