December 15, 2007
Report: Rodriguez talking with Michigan
By Dave Hickman
Staff writer

MORGANTOWN — A week ago, Rich Rodriguez was saying how happy he was to be off the college football coaching carousel. Friday he apparently jumped back on it.
How serious they may have been remained a mystery late Friday night, but reports say the West Virginia football coach was engaged in talks throughout the day with Michigan officials about that school’s vacant coaching position.

Rodriguez reportedly spent at least part of the day Friday in Toledo, Ohio, meeting with Michigan athletic director Bill Martin and school president Mary Sue Coleman. Rodriguez had been in Florida on a recruiting trip the day before and was due back in Morgantown Friday.

Rodriguez had not returned phone calls by 11:30 p.m. Friday.

He returned to Morgantown early Friday evening, but upon arriving at the city’s airport refused to talk to reporters. His West Virginia football team, which plays Oklahoma Jan. 2 in the Fiesta Bowl, was scheduled to resume practice Friday evening after taking a week off for final exams.

Rodriguez did tell the MetroNews Radio Network Friday night that he met with his financial advisor in Toledo for six hours on Friday, but refused to say anything about Michigan representatives who might have been there. He also steadfastly refused to comment even on whether he had been contacted about the Michigan job.

“I don’t comment on those things,’’ Rodriguez told MetroNews. “I never have and I’m not going to now.’’

Indeed, Rodriguez’s refusal to discuss the Michigan opening and any talks he may have had is not out of the norm for him. Over the years he has consistently refused to even talk about such things.

Apparently he isn’t talking to West Virginia officials, either. West Virginia athletic director Ed Pastilong said Friday that he put in a call to his head coach, but had not received a response.

“I don’t know anything about it,’’ Pastilong told the Gazette. “The only person who can clarify that is Rich Rodriguez.

“We recently put a strong contract in place with Rich. We made a strong commitment to him and he made a strong commitment to us.’’

When Rodriguez arrived back in Morgantown just before 6 p.m. Friday, his only comment was that he was heading to his team’s scheduled 6 p.m. practice at Mountaineer Field.

“Going to practice. I’m going to practice,’’ he said before getting into his car.

Pastilong would not comment on whether Michigan had asked for permission to negotiate with Rodriguez.

“We put a policy in place that said we won’t comment on whether we’ve been contacted or not,’’ Pastilong said. “But as I’ve said, we’re strongly committed to Rich and he’s strongly committed to us.’’

Michigan has been searching for a new coach since Lloyd Carr announced his retirement following his team’s regular-season finale against Ohio State. The Wolverines, who stunningly lost their opener to Division I-AA Appalachian State, play Florida on Jan. 1 in the Capital One Bowl.

It’s not the first time Michigan officials have sat down with a prospective coach. Martin met with Rutgers coach Greg Schiano for five hours last week in New York before Schiano withdrew from consideration. The school was earlier prepared to offer the job to LSU coach Les Miles, a Michigan graduate, before he said he would stay in Baton Rouge.

This isn’t the first time Michigan has looked to West Virginia for a coach this year, of course. In April the Wolverines hired John Beilein away from the Mountaineers to coach basketball.

If Rodriguez were to leave West Virginia now, under the terms of his latest contract he would owe the university a buyout of $4 million. That’s the contract that was negotiated just over one year ago when Alabama offered him $2 million a year to coach the Crimson Tide.

That buyout doesn’t decrease until Aug. 31 of next year, when it is cut in half to $2 million. It drops to $1 million in 2011. The buyout is to be paid within two years.

His current contract with WVU pays him in the neighborhood of $1.5 million this year and escalates through the life of the contract, which doesn’t expire until 2013. The total guaranteed money in the contract is $13.6 million and Rodriguez’s average salary over the life of the contract is about $1.9 million.

To contact staff writer Dave Hickman, use e-mail or call 348-1734.

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/Sports/WVU/2007121429