Why Rich Rod Deserves Time at WVU Despite Curt Cignetti’s Instant Success

Curt Cignetti, a West Virginia Mountaineer, is a national champion.

Yeah, everyone in the Mountain State wishes it had happened with his alma mater, and there's this false sense of belief that it could have been the head coach had WVU moved on from Neal Brown a year earlier.

The reality of the situation is that West Virginia was never going to fire Brown after a 9-win season, regardless of what happened the previous four seasons. You were there, so don't lie. Even though the schedule wasn't all that challenging, you started trusting the climb, even if it was just in the slightest bit and for just a moment.

Secondly, given how his father, Frank Cignetti’s, tenure ended at WVU, it’s reasonable to think Curt would not have been interested in coming to Morgantown, despite having played there. So, let's axe that narrative right away.

Now comes the other part of this—the comparison. Seeing a coach have such incredible success immediately in the first two years gets everyone to believe that it should be the new expectation for any coach that's hired. When a former Mountaineer is the one doing it, oh boy.

I understand the frustration with how this past season went for West Virginia, especially while watching the losingest program win the whole thing in just its second year under a new regime, but the comparison is unjust.

Indiana has money. And by money, I mean they have MONEY.

Mark Cuban talks with Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Alberto Mendoza (16) on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, after the Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

WVU is in a much better financial state than it was a year ago, but it's nowhere near Indiana's level. They have a long list of big-time donors, with the most recognizable name being Mark Cuban. When you give a damn good football coach the resources to compete with the best for talent, this is what you get.

In Cignetti's first year at Indiana, they had a light schedule, which is partially why they had to play on the road in the CFP. The Hoosiers faced just three teams that won 7+ games that season (Nebraska, Michigan, and Ohio State). The Mountaineers faced seven 7+ win teams in 2025.

They also had more game-changing talent that followed Cignetti from James Madison than Rodriguez had coming with him from Jacksonville State. The only big-time playmakers Rodriguez brought with him were Cam Vaughn and Fred Perry.

Last offseason (entering year two), Indiana went out and landed proven Power Four talent, such as Notre Dame's starting center Pat Coogan, who started in last year's national title, Maryland running back Roman Hemby, NC State safety Devan Boykin, Ole Miss DB Louis Moore, and oh yeah, that quarterback from Cal that turned out to be pretty good — Fernando Mendoza.

West Virginia took a different approach this offseason, with its splashiest portal signings being guys they are taking long-term bets on, such as Oklahoma QB Michael Hawkins Jr., LSU WR TaRon Francis, Oregon pass rusher Tobi Haastrup, and LSU S Jacob Bradford. None of these guys has established themselves at this level, yet.

Rodriguez was hired late in the process last year, which meant he missed out on the first big wave of transfers. It got to the point where they just had to go get guys to fill out a roster. I hate to be harsh with it, but the reality of it is, many of last year's players were one-year roster fillers, hence the extreme flip of the roster again.

When you are adding 80 new players to the fold, you can't go out and spend top dollar on proven Power Four commodities like Indiana did last offseason. Every rebuild is different, just as every timeline to becoming a contender is different. Constantly judging Rodriguez (or any coach, for that matter) on what Cignetti was able to do is wrong, especially when the resources are very different.

Rich Rod will be successful at WVU. He just needs time.

Indiana has money. And by money, I mean they have MONEY.

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