Rich Rodriguez

Guide Note:

Rich Rodriguez is the current head football coach for the Michigan Wolverines of the NCAA's Big Ten Conference. He got the job after Lloyd Carr resigned from the position after the 2007 season.

Fast Facts:

1. Born: May 24, 1963
2. Birthplace: Grant Town, West Virginia
3. Overall record: 104-62-2
4. Officially announced as new University of Michigan coach on December 17, 2007
5. Enjoyed a highly successful seven-year run as coach of his alma mater, West Virginia
6. At West Virginia: 60-26 with a 0.698 winning percentage
7. Four conference championships
8. Four Big East Titles
9. 2003 and 2005 Big East Coach of the Year
10. Played as the defenisve back with the Mountaineers from 1981-1984
11. Started coach at 23
12. Was a head coach at 24

Rich Rodriguez began his coaching career with Salem University in West Virginia. In 1988, at age 24, he became the youngest head coach in the country. He then moved on as the West Virginia Mountaineers volunteer assistant. After a one-year stint, Rodriguez moved on to coach at Glenville State College where he remained head coach for six years. After a successful run as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Tulane University and in Clemson University, he was offered a head coaching job at West Virginia University. At West Virgina he went 60-26 with a 0.698 winning percentage in six years. He was offered the job in Michigan following the 2007 season.^{1 2}

The West Virginia University filed a lawsuit after Rodriguez broke his contract by taking the job offer as head coach for Michigan Wolverines in December 2007. Rodriguez ended the lawsuit with four million dollar settlement on July 9, 2008. He will pay $1.5 million over three years beginning in 2010. The Michigan Wolverines athletic department will pay the other $2.5 million and his legal fees.³