Rich Rodriguez Has Hit Big and Flopped Hard in Year One

Year one of stint two for Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia is just days away from getting underway.

College football has certainly changed throughout the course of his career, and especially since he was last seen roaming the sidelines in Morgantown. The transfer portal and NIL make for way more attrition in year one than when he took the job here in '01, Michigan in '08, Arizona in '12, and to some extent, Jacksonville State in '22.

Despite the changes, it's still interesting to take a look back at how Rodriguez's teams performed in year one. Below is a look at each first season at every Division I head coaching job he's had, finished with some analysis on what year one here could look like.

2001 West Virginia

Sep 11, 2004; Orlando, FL, USA; West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez watches his quarterback Rasheed Marshall. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Imagn Images (©) Copyright 2004 by Preston Mack | Imagn Images

Record: 3-8

PPG (National Rank): 21.4 (90th)

PPG Allowed (National Rank): 24.4 (51st)

Total Offense (National Rank) 345.7 (80th)

Total Defense (National Rank): 349.9 (40th)

2008 Michigan

Dec 18, 2010; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head football coach Rich Rodriguez watches the afternoon practice as his team prepares for their upcoming game at the Gator Bowl at Al Glick Field House. Mandatory Credit: Leon Halip-Imagn Images | Leon Halip-Imagn Images

Record: 3-9

PPG (National Rank): 20.3 (95th)

PPG Allowed (National Rank): 28.9 (84th)

Total Offense (National Rank) 290.8 (109th)

Total Defense (National Rank): 366.9 (67th)

2012 Arizona

Nov 25, 2017; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez reacts against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the Territorial Cup at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Record: 8-5

PPG (National Rank): 36.7 (18th)

PPG Allowed (National Rank): 38.3 (112th)

Total Offense (National Rank): 512.6 (8th)

Total Defense (National Rank): 527.8 (124th)

2022 Jacksonville State

Jacksonville State Head Coach Rich Rodriguez celebrates his team winning the C-USA Championship at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama , Alabama December 6, 2024. Jacksonville State defeated Western Kentucky 52 - 12. (Dave Hyatt / Hyatt Media LLC) | Dave Hyatt / Special to the Gadsden Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Record: 9-2

PPG (National Rank): 36.2 (10th)

PPG Allowed (National Rank): 22.9 (33rd)

Total Offense (National Rank): 423.6 (27th)

Total Defense (National Rank): 389.7 (65th)

2025 West Virginia

West Virginia University head coach Rich Rodriguez | Christopher Hall – West Virginia on SI

The record

Projected record: 7-5

I've got the Mountaineers coming out of the gate hot in terms of wins and losses, going a perfect 3-0 in non-conference play. What won't be perfect is how they get to those three wins, but nonetheless, it will help build some momentum heading into league play. The Big 12 slate is challenging with games against Kansas, Utah, BYU, TCU, Arizona State, Texas Tech, and so on. Rich Rod finds a way to finish above .500 in year one.

The offense

Projected PPG: 27.5

Projected Total Offense: 418.7

WVU will put up some big numbers this Saturday against Robert Morris and potentially even against Ohio in Week 2, although they play some pretty salty defense — finished 10th in total defense a year ago. I do believe this unit will move the ball pretty well once they get into a rhythm, but I have a feeling they may struggle to finish off drives with touchdowns, which is why I have them averaging sub-30 per game.

The defense

Projected PPG Allowed: 26.2

Projected Total Defense: 355.3

Zac Alley is a brilliant defensive mind, but this is just the start of turning this side of the ball around. He doesn't have the type of depth he'd like to in all three levels, but has enough to work with to make it manageable. Because of the aggressive nature of Alley's defense plays, they'll give up their fair share of explosive plays. Combine that with a bunch of guys who haven't played much together, and you'll get an inconsistent product. The potential is there for this to be a top 50 unit, however.

Rich Rodriguez Has Hit Big and Flopped Hard in Year One — WVU Could Do Either in 2025