This Big 12 Coaching Ranking of Rich Rodriguez Will Leave WVU Fans Speechless

It's been a while since Rich Rodriguez was the head of a major program, but for the most part, he's experienced a great deal of success in each of those opportunities. Yes, the Michigan tenure didn't go well, but the team he spent three years building up went on to win 11 games the year after he was fired.

He had the best three-year stretch in WVU football history, took Arizona to places they hadn't been in a long time, and guided Jacksonville State to a Conference USA championship in their second year at the FBS level. Still, Rodriguez isn't getting much respect.

Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports recently put Rodriguez 12th in his Big 12 head coaching rankings.

"Rodriguez returns to West Virginia for the second time after leaving for Michigan in 2008. His Wolverines tenure was lackluster, but Rodriguez wins everywhere else he goes. Rodriguez led Arizona to a breakout 10-win season and Fiesta Bowl appearance in 2014. He transitioned Jacksonville State to the FBS level and captured a conference ring in 2024. If nothing else, Rodriguez will shake everything up in Morgantown."

Kenny Dillingham (Arizona State), Kalani Sitake (BYU), Deion Sanders (Colorado), Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), Sonny Dykes (TCU), Dave Aranda (Baylor), and Willie Fritz (Houston) - those are some of the names ranked just ahead of Rodriguez on Jeyarajah's list. Gundy, I have no issue with. The others? Yeah, I see some issues, particularly with Sanders, Aranda, and Fritz, who haven't come anywhere close to accomplishing the things Rodriguez has throughout his career as a head coach.

Sanders is 13-12 in two years at the FBS level. Aranda is 31-30, and Fritz is 75-62 (.547). That's what we're putting ahead of a guy who had West Virginia on the doorstep of a national championship? The same guy who just won a conference championship in year two of being an FBS program? Yikes.

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