When Rich Rodriguez stepped back onto the Mountaineer sidelines, expectations were high, but the first season ended with a 4‑8 record that left fans searching for answers.
Ranking methodology under scrutiny
CBS Sports placed him 54th among college football coaches, a placement that has sparked a lively discussion across the sport.
Analyst Tom Fornelli and several of his contemporaries — Scott Satterfield, Greg Schiano, Barry Odom, Luke Fickell, Dave Aranda, Brent Brennan, Pat Narduzzi — have posted records that, on paper, look weaker than Rodriguez’s, yet they sit ahead of him in the ranking.
The methodology behind the list remains opaque, with voters citing vague criteria that reward perception over concrete results.
Rodriguez’s career trajectory tells a different story: at Glenville State, West Virginia, Arizona and Jacksonville State he repeatedly pushed teams into the top ten, delivering moments such as a major bowl win and a signature victory in the Fiesta Bowl.
Now, as the Mountaineers look to rebound, the conversation continues to swirl around whether a single sub‑.500 season should outweigh a decade of proven success.