Michigan Hires Rodriguez as New Head Football Coach
12/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Rodriguez Bio
Press Conference: Video | Transcript
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan officially introduced Rich Rodriguez to the public today (Monday, Dec. 17) as the 18th head coach in the history of Wolverine football. Terms of his contract will be announced at a later date.
"We are thrilled to have Rich as our new football coach," said U-M director of athletics Bill Martin. "President (Mary Sue) Coleman had a wonderful six-hour meeting with him on Friday and both of us knew after that meeting that we wanted Rich as our next coach."
Rodriguez, 44, comes to Ann Arbor after spending seven years as head coach at West Virginia University, where he led the Mountaineers to a 60-26 record, four Big East Conference titles and six consecutive bowl game bids.
Under his guidance, WVU has claimed four of the last five Big East championships and recorded three consecutive seasons (2005-07) of double-digit victories for the first time in school history. The Mountaineers recorded at least eight wins in each of the last six seasons, and since 2002 have accumulated a record of 57-16, winning 78.1 percent of its games. In 15 years of coaching, Rodriguez has a 105-62-2 record.
Rodriguez is just the 11th U-M head football coach since the legendary Fielding H. Yost launched the storied tradition of Michigan football in 1901. In fact, Rodriguez, a native of Grant Town, W.Va., in Marion County, grew up just five miles from the birthplace of Yost (Fairview, W.Va.).
Rodriguez has additional ties to Michigan. As a member of West Virginia's 1981-84 teams, Rodriguez was a three-year letterwinner (1982-84) as a defensive back for coach Don Nehlen. Nehlen served as an assistant coach at U-M for Bo Schembechler from 1977-79.
During that time with Nehlen, the Mountaineers posted a 26-10 record and made three bowl appearances: the 1982 Gator Bowl (lost to Florida State, 31-12); the 1983 Hall of Fame Bowl (defeated Kentucky, 20-16); and the 1984 Bluebonnet Bowl (defeated TCU, 31-14).
Contact: Bruce Madej (734) 763-4423
