[emac0908]

I got the news this morning that Coach Rod accepted the job at Alabama. Being a native Mountaineer I was very disappointed. I was hoping Rod would stay so WVU could become a program where coaches want to come rather than a program where school's look for coaches. I currently live in the south after marrying a southern girl after college. Her family are UT fans. I will find it hard to root on UT when they play Bama. I will always root for Coach Rod to succeed, except when he plays the EERS. I just hope Bama appreciates him as much as Mountaineer Nation did.

[Lefty Noob]

Really? Last I saw, he was going to wait till Saturday before deciding. Where did you hear that he accepted their offer?

[rmjvol]

WVU's Coach Rich Rodriguez has agreed in principle to take the Alabama coaching job according to The Birmingham News.

They cite multiple "sources close to the search" who have told them it's a done deal. They've agreed on all financial parts of the contract. He's getting slightly more than $2million per year plus Bama will buy out his WVU contract for $2m. That makes him the 3rd highest paid SEC coach behind Auburn's Tommy Tubberville & UT's Phil Fulmer.

But Coach Rod still has to tell his staff, players & recruits. He's a born & bred Mountaineer so that may be the hardest part. Can he do it?

[wvfrank]

Bama fans going to be disappointed ,i betcha
I think RR is stayin where he doesnt have to beat a particular team every year to keep his job. You all need to lighten up on coaches down there.

I am a native West Virginian too. Coach Rod has been a wonderful ambassador for WV Athletics .... Until now.

If I were the WVU AD, Mr. Pastilong, He would NOT COACH IN THE GATOR BOWL>

Lets get someone who wants to be a Mountaineer, instead Of using his home State until something "better" comes along.. I am afraid he is going to find out that the grass is not greener on the Other side,.

I am going to the Gator Bowl, and if he is there he will see my "TRAITOR" sign.

Alabama is getting someone who will leave them too if the $$$ are right.

I hope this isnt true. He has done a great job at WVU. The problem I would have is the other day he said he has no interest in any other coaching job and wanted to stay the Mountaineers head coach as long as WVU would have him. If he leaves that makes him a flat out liar among other things. Either be straight up or don't comment but don't lie about it.

[blevig54]

Being from WV and living in the Birmingham-Tuscaloosa area this is tough. I like wathing UA play football but I LOVE my Mountaineers! Coach Rod has done a terrific job at WVU. But what I've learned living here is that UA has very deep pockets, especially dealings with the football program. WVU just doesn't have those same pockets.

And whether a person is for or against Coach Rod leaving he's making decisions for the betterment of his family, not WVU or you or me. I'll hate seeing him coach somewhere esle if he does go (The Birmingham News is always a little suspect but wish him luck. Coach Rod brought our program into the spotlight again and hopefully, whoever takes the reins from here can continue the trend.

[DeLozier]

As a long time Alabama fan I'm excited about RR coming to the Capstone. I do feel sad for the WVU fans and wish them well in their continued pursuit of excellence, both on and off the football field. Regarding the comment that Alabama needs to lighten up on their coaches, I totally disagree. Alabama is no different than most major schools inr reagards to their rivalries. If Ohio State loses to Michigan on a regular basis, the coach gets canned - ask Mr. Cooper. In the pressure-packed world of CFB, you better win... and win quickly. I also disagree that RR lied about his loyalties. When he was quoted as 'staying at WVU for his career' it was prior to any contact from Alabama and the truth was that it was simply rumors. That all changed Tuesday in NYC. The facilities at Alabama are as good - if not the best - as any in the country. There is a small, but loud, contingent of embarrassing fans, but the majority just love Alabama football. RR will see 95,000+ of them packed into the stadium for every home game. Double your salary and remember some unkept promises from the WVA administration and it all adds up to a move RR had to take. Here's hoping WVU and UA can play sometime soon in a BCS bowl of importance. RTR

[rmjvol]

Welcome wvfrank, blevig54, DeLozier & other fans

I think we're just seeing the reality of big time college football at work. Alabama's got deep tradition and even deeper pockets to try to get the right coach.

btw, we've got alot of individual forums for most every major sports team. Most of the Coach Rod discussion has been going on here in our Alabama forum but there's more WVU fans chatting in our Mountaneers forum. To see a list of all the team forums here at GoTeamsGo, click here.

Look forward to chatting more with you guys.

[Bamaboy11]

Now that we have coach Rod and his offensive mind I hope we keep Joe Kines. Because with the two working together I dont see to many teams beating Bama next year.

As A Loyal Mountaineer Fan, Bama Can Have The Bum.

Anyone Who Quit The Season Amid Going To A New Year's Day Bowl, Is A Rat Bastard. West Virginia Deserves Better, And Bear Bryant Should Be Rolling In His Grave. Wv Alumnist, Dave White

Wait a second, let's give Coach Rod a chance to honor his word first. So far he has gone on the record to state that he intends to coach at WVU for a long time and indicating, without confirming, that he would not leave.<br />

<br />

With such strong words like he said on MSN, I can't believe that he would turn his back on his work, the Statre of West Virginia, and his players. If he turns coat and takes the job with Alabama, he's not what we wanted anyway. I also agree that if he leaves, don't let him coach the Gator Bowl and use WVU success to recruit players for Bama.<br />

<br />


The Big East has fewer powerhouse teams than the SEC. For a coach, it does make an easier route to the National Championship. Miami was dominant in the Big East and won National Championships. It takes a team dominant in thier conference to win a NC. Ie OSU, OU, Texas, SC. in their NC years they were light years above the remainder of their conference. This year OSU and Michigan had one challenging game to get to the NC.<br />

<br />

WVU fans, all is not lost. Remember that Mountaineer field is the place built by Don Nehlen. He is the one who took this program from a bottom feeder to national championship contender. Rod cannot match his two perfect regular seasons. Rod took over a good program and continued the work but its not completed yet.<br />

<br />

We can also note that part of Rod's success is due to good luck. Slayton was going to Maryland but they reniged on thier offer and Slayton blossomed at WVU. Without Slayton the last two years, the eers would not have had the success that they had.<br />

<br />

Coach Rod: We hope you stay. If you go, I will be ☻☻☻☻ed, not because you left for more money, but because you lied to the entire State of WV... Note please schedule a home and home with Bama so we can throw trash cans at you and burn your couch.<br />

<br />

[rmjvol]

Here's what the AP said about 70 minutes ago (12:14pm CST):

Does Alabama have a new head football coach? It depends on who you ask.

Three newspapers in Alabama along with ESPN reported on Thursday night that Alabama officials and Rodriguez’s agent, Mike Brown, had agreed in principle to the terms of a contract.

Note to Mal Moore: you've tested your teflon backside about as much as anyone ever should. You need to let the Bama Nation know that coach Rod wins because of a complicated offensive scheme that takes time to install and smooth out. Mr. Moore, you didn't even let Mike Shula get out of official probation, so how much time are you going to give an outstanding, but very expensive, complicated football mind to perfect his system? PLEASE, Mr. Moore, take a one way trip anywhere for an extended period of time, then come home and smile. Mr. Moore, if coach Rod gets the time he needs, He'll make the Tide family forget your last 4 consecutive horrendously bad personnel decisions.
If Coach Rod comes to T town, Leave him ALONE!