(In a surprise move, Rich Rodriguez who had agreed in principal to a six-year deal as Alabama coach has informed Alabama officials that he has declined the offer)
Point-Spreads.Com has learned that current West Virginia head football coach Rich Rodriguez will be named the new head football coach at the University of Alabama in a Friday press conference. Rodriguez will become the 27th Alabama head coach taking over the Crimson Tide program vacated by Mike Shula, who was fired two weeks ago.
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Rodriguez and his wife, Rita, met with Alabama athletic director Mal Moore in New York City earlier this week when both were attending the College Football Hall of Fame festivities, and according to sources at both West Virginia and Alabama, Moore called Rodriguez Wednesday night with an official offer. Rodriguez's annual salary is expected to be in the $2 million range with incentives and he will have one of the highest-paid coaching staffs in the Southeastern Conference. Alabama has also agreed to pay the $2 million buyout clause in his West Virginia contract. Rodriguez made $1.1 million at West Virginia where he was 49-24 in his six seasons as Mountaineers coach, with his teams winning or sharing the last four Big East titles.
Rodriguez was in Jacksonville on Thursday and is scheduled to fly via private plane to Tuscaloosa early Friday morning for a press conference later in the day.
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According to one West Virginia assistant coach, Rodriguez will like to coach the Mountaineers in their upcoming Gator Bowl game before taking over in Tuscaloosa, but no official agreement has been reached yet.
Rodriguez, a native of North Marion, West Virginia began his college coaching career at tiny Salem College (West Virginia) at the age of 24 in 1989, the youngest college coach in the country at that time. Rodriguez moved on to Glenville State in West Virginia where he coached from 1990-96 and coached them to a NAIA powerhouse. Rodriguez joined up with Bobby Bowden’s staff at Florida State and brought with him the spread offense he developed while at Glenville State. Rodriguez then followed Tommy Bowden to Tulane and then on to Clemson as offensive coordinator before being hired at West Virginia as head coach. He is 94-60-2 overall in his 14 years as a head coach at three schools.
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