West Virginia Director of Athletics Wren Baker made it official. Rich Rodriguez is returning to Morgantown to be the head football coach of the Mountaineers. "We are thrilled to welcome Coach Rich Rodriguez and his family back home,

West Virginia University has announced that Rich Rodriguez is returning to the school to become its 36th head football coach for the Mountaineers.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football’s Brian Hartline has interviewed for West Virginia’s head coaching vacancy, according to a report from Chris Anderson of 247Sports. Hartline currently serves as the Buckeyes' co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach. He’s regarded as one of the top recruiters in the country.

Rich Rodriguez is returning to West Virginia for a second stint as head coach at his alma mater. Athletic director Wren Baker announced the hiring of Rodriguez on Thursday, 17 years after Rodriguez made a hasty exit for what became a disastrous three-year experiment at Michigan.

Before returning to West Virginia, Rodriguez led Jacksonville State to three-straight nine-win seasons, earned the 2024 C-USA regular season and conference championships, won the 2023 New Orleans Bowl and had a first-place finish in the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2022.

As the Ohio State Buckeyes prepare for the program's contest against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoffs, news is beginning to surface about a beloved assistant interviewing for a head coaching job.