Updated: December 17, 2007, 2:39 AM ET
Rodriguez leaving West Virginia to coach Michigan
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan has hired (past tense, and means a contract has actuaaly been signed) West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez as its next football coach following a search that featured two other top prospects deciding to stay put.
Rodriguez, whose Mountaineers (No. 9 BCS, No. 11 AP) are preparing for their second BCS game in three seasons, will take over Michigan's program from Lloyd Carr, Michigan athletic department spokesman Bruce Madej said Sunday.
"I am thrilled to have Rich Rodriguez as Michigan's new coach," athletic director Bill Martin wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Sunday. "Rich brings an exciting brand of football to Michigan Stadium. We welcome the entire Rodriguez family to Ann Arbor."
A source told ESPN's John Buccigross that the primary reason for Rodriguez leaving West Virginia was his deteriorating relationship with the athletic department. Sources also told Buccigross that former Auburn coach and West Virginia native Terry Bowden, who played for the Mountaineers and who was a graduate assistant there, has been in contact with WVU about the Mountaineers' head coaching position.
Former West Virginia coach Don Nehlen, who coached Rodriguez when he played for the Mountaineers and was on Bo Schembechler's staff at Michigan, endorsed the move.
"I felt it was a great opportunity for Rich," Nehlen told the AP in a telephone interview from Morgantown, W.Va. "There are not many Michigans around."
Rodriguez, who informed his players at a 1:30 p.m. ET meeting Sunday that he was leaving for Michigan, will formally be introduced by the Wolverines at a 9 a.m. ET news conference on Monday morning at the Junge Family Champions Center on campus. WVU recruiting coordinator Tony Gibson and offensive coordinator Calvin Magee flew to Ann Arbor on Sunday evening with Rodriguez.
Rodriguez was extremely emotional in the meeting with his West Virginia players that lasted less than 10 minutes Sunday, a person at the meeting told ESPN. He had difficulty telling his team, "Others have contacted me but this one I had to listen."
A source close to Rodriguez told ESPN that the Michigan deal will average in the range of $2.5 million per year, which would be more than a half-million per year raise from his West Virginia salary.
