When Rich Rodriguez left West Virginia after the 2007 season, he called off any bets to return to his home. You see, the university wasn’t just a job to him. The West Virginia-born knew the place, knew the fans, and knew what exactly the Mountaineers needed to be. So, even though he had a successful stint of a 27-10 record in three seasons at Jacksonville State, as soon as WVU called a year ago, he didn’t think twice before saying yes…

In fact, he didn’t even ask what the contract was going to look like. All he cared about was returning home. But as it turns out, he always knew that the call was about to come courtesy of Nick Saban.

“The first call I got was from Coach Saban,” Rich Rodriguez revealed on Next Up with Adam Breneman. “He called me and said, I think they have an interest in you. What’s your thought process? Would you be interested in all that? So that’s set up. And then it might’ve been a week or so later that Wren called and said, they want to do a Zoom thing.”

Before AD Wren Baker reached out, the first indication that West Virginia might want him back came from Nick Saban. For Rich Rodriguez, that call became the opening chapter in a reunion few thought was possible when he left Morgantown for Michigan after the 2007 season. Once the process officially began, he admitted his excitement grew with every step, especially after the interview went well. 

For Rodriguez, that phone ring wasn’t just career logistics, but validation. The call from Saban, the man who’d won everything college football offered, whispered something only West Virginians understand. And that’s the fact that he’s still one of them. The call totally transformed his trajectory.

“I don’t know how many guys did an in-person interview,” he recalled. “They just said, ‘Oh, we may be calling you.’ Now I’m getting excited because I’m thinking, ‘Yes, we might be going home. We might have this opportunity.’ So when the call came, I don’t even remember if I even asked about the terms of the deal. I was like, ‘Okay, when do you want me to start?’ I didn’t represent myself very well, probably in that time.”

In a profession where coaches often negotiate every detail down to the last dollar, Rich Rodriguez’s reaction was simple. He just wanted to be back in Morgantown. And that’s because this opportunity was always bigger than football.

Aside from being a former West Virginia coach, he’s a West Virginian born in Grant Town. He grew up understanding exactly what the Mountaineers mean to people across the state. Nick Saban understood that better than anyone.

The former Alabama coach has deep roots in the Mountain State himself. Nick Saban grew up in West Virginia and even served as an assistant coach at WVU early in his career, having spent his time there from 1879 to 1981. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, he made it clear why he believed Rich Rodriguez was the right choice.

“I just talked to Wren a couple times about who was the best fit,” he said. “Who was the best fit for West Virginia? It’s not just about coaching knowledge or what your record was in some other part of the country. How do you fit? How do you believe? How are you going to relate to the people? How are you going to be able to recruit the players you need to compete against the competition and dominate the competition?

“I think Rich is the right guy to do that.”

Rich Rodriguez’s first tenure in Morgantown produced 60 victories and transformed West Virginia into a national contender. However, the second chapter of his West Virginia tenure has already presented a far tougher challenge.

Rich Rodriguez’s homecoming season fell below expectations 

Part of the excitement surrounding Rich Rodriguez’s return came from what he accomplished during his first run at West Virginia. Across eight seasons, he posted a 64-34 record, including three consecutive double-digit-win seasons, the first in program history. That’s why his departure to Michigan after the 2007 season felt like a blow.

His three seasons in Ann Arbor produced a disappointing 15-22 record. Later stops at Arizona and Jacksonville State brought varying degrees of success before ultimately receiving the opportunity to return to Morgantown in 2025. Unfortunately, after a new $18.5 million contract with West Virginia, they finished with a disappointing 4-8 record in Rich Rodriguez’s homecoming season, which earned a -C grade from CBS Sports’ John Talty.

“Rich Rodriguez learned that the reality of returning home is more challenging than the dream of it,” Talty wrote. “With how much the game has changed, though, it’ll be much more challenging to have that big a turnaround in 2026.”

Still, there are reasons for patience. Rich Rodriguez won only three games during his first season at West Virginia back in 2001 before success came. And perhaps that’s why he left a thriving situation at Jacksonville State.

“I was having a great time at Jacksonville State,” he said last year. “But when this opportunity came up, this was home and my last stop in the coaching world.”

Nostalgia brought Rich Rodriguez back, and the emotional connection opened the door. But 2026 will determine whether this reunion becomes another West Virginia success story or a reminder of what once was.