Rich Rodriguez Reveals Length of New WVU Contract

During his introductory press conference on Friday afternoon, Rich Rodriguez announced that his contract with WVU is for five years.

Sitting beside WVU athletic director Wren Baker, Rodriguez, who was officially hired as WVU’s next head football coach on Thursday, said his deal with the Mountaineers is for five years. Rodriguez joked that maybe five years wasn’t long enough.

“I’ve got a five-year contract, but I would’ve signed a lifetime contract,” Rodriguez said. “But then if I’d have lost, you all would’ve killed me.”

“He did offer that up,” Baker confirmed.

Rodriguez’s first stint as WVU head coach lasted seven seasons from 2001-07.

Rodriguez, a West Virginia native, currently holds a 190-128-2 overall coaching record. He experienced most of his success while leading the Mountaineers from 2001-2007. At WVU, Rodriguez won four Big East titles and was named conference Coach of the Year twice. He added a third Coach of the Year honor in the Pac-12 in 2014 with Arizona.

After leaving WVU in 2007, Rodriguez spent three seasons with Michigan and then si at Arizona from 2012-17.

Rodriguez spent the last three seasons coaching Jacksonville State, guiding them from transitioning into the FBS in 2023 and then to a Conference USA Championship this season. Rodriguez signed a contract extension with Jacksonville State in May that extended his agreement with the Gamecocks through 2030.

Jacksonville will reportedly be owed $2.5 million as the buyout for Rodriguez’s contract. The full amount will need to be paid within 60 days.

More details of Rodriguez’s contract with WVU have not yet been released.

For a related story, Rich Rodriguez explained “hard edge” philosophy to WVU football players.