Returning Rich Rodriguez says he should've stayed at WVU - ESPN

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — New West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez admitted Friday he made a mistake by leaving West Virginia for Michigan 17 years ago.

Based on the welcome he got from the thousands of fans who attended his introductory news conference Friday, much seemed to be forgiven — except for one man who yelled at Rodriguez just as he started speaking. The crowd quickly drowned out the heckler, who was escorted from the campus arena.

Rodriguez took the jeers in stride, responding with a joke aimed at West Virginia's biggest rival: «OK, any other Pitt fans can leave the building.»

The crowd, which included Hall of Fame coach Don Nehlen and former players such as Avon Cobourne and Owen Schmitt, roared in response.

And that's how the second tour of Rodriguez at his alma mater got started.

«This is really surreal,» said Rodriguez, who got emotional and paused a few times during his speech. «I never should have left.»

Rodriguez rejoined the Mountaineers on a five-year contract, which averages a base salary of $3.75 million over the course of the deal, including $3.5 million in 2025, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel. The deal includes incentives that could push the value significantly higher, pending win totals and other thresholds, sources said.

Rodriguez went 60-26 from 2001 to 2007. The fanbase was devastated, first when West Virginia bungled a chance to play for the BCS national championship by losing to heavy underdog Pittsburgh 13-9 in the 2007 season finale at home, and again when Rodriguez was gone two weeks later for Ann Arbor.

Rodriguez, 61, who was named coach on Thursday after spending three seasons at Jacksonville State, said he has grown both as a person and a coach throughout his long career, «and in particular