If West Virginia had any hard feelings toward Rich Rodriguez for leaving 17 years ago, they weren’t evident at the news conference introducing his return to Morgantown on Friday.
Well, apparently one fan wasn’t excited about Rodriguez returning to coach the Mountaineers. But the fans in attendance quickly yelled at the heckler and eventually escorted him out of the WVU Coliseum.
Rodriguez had a quick joke for the heckler, winning over the crowd that was already excited about his return.
“It’s OK, any other Pitt fans can leave the building,” said Rodriguez, who previously coached West Virginia from 2001 to 2007 before leaving for Michigan.
The response of the fans (and insulting chants towards his rival Pitt, moved Rodríguez when he began his comments.
“This is really surreal,” he said. “I never should have left.”
Rodriguez signed a five-year contract with WVU and will receive an average annual salary of $3.75 million. according to ESPN. The value of the deal could increase with incentives tied to earnings totals and other benchmarks.
During his first season in Morgantown, Rodriguez went 60-26 with five bowl appearances, including a Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia following the 2005 season. WVU went 32-5 in Rodriguez’s final three seasons and he oversaw a revolutionary offensive with expanded options. Most memorably, the Mountaineers were in position for the BCS championship game in 2007, but lost 13–9 to Pitt.
Rodriguez left before WVU played in the Fiesta Bowl, where they defeated Oklahoma under interim coach Bill Stewart. Stewart was eventually named permanent head coach.
That final loss to Pitt apparently stayed with Rodriguez, who made it a point to attack the Panthers during his press conference and interview. with Pat McAfee, WVU alumnus.
“I was probably a little wrong earlier when I said the two worst four-letter words were ‘soft’ and ‘lazy,’” Rodriguez said in describing the type of players he didn’t want in West Virginia. “I left Pitt out.”
West Virginia and Pitt play next season on September 13.