When Rich Rodriguez was Arizona's football coach from 2012-17, he was a temperamental, my-way-or-no-way boss ultimately dismissed for operating a hostile environment.
Now 63, in his second season and second stint as West Virginia's football coach, RichRod sounds like he might be softening a bit. Or losing his mind.
At Big 12 Football Media Days last week, he proposed changing the money-first, out-of-control game of college football by turning the Power 4 schools into a four-league, regional network of teams. RichRod said he would like West Virginia to be in a league with Pitt, Penn State, Cincinnati, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech and North Carolina. The chances of that happening? Zero.
"Everybody should share the money and we can all get along," he said. The chances of that happening? Zero times 10.
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West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez speaks to reporters during Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star on July 8, 2026, in Frisco, Texas.
Said RichRod: "I want to get this right before I (retire)." Alas, this is 2026, not 2001, when he first coached West Virginia, dominated the cozy Big East Conference and the first priority of college football was to make sure the student-athletes earned a degree and enjoyed their four seasons at one school.
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