MrAndMrsFish Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ? (AP) ? Alabama offered its football coaching job to West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez Thursday, according to newspaper reports. The Press-Register of Mobile, citing unnamed sources, first reported the offer from Crimson Tide athletic director Mal Moore on its Web site and said Rodriguez was still considering the offer. The Tuscaloosa News also reported on its Web site that Alabama offered Rodriguez the job. Alabama spokesman Doug Walker said the university did not have an announcement scheduled. "We don't have anything at this point,'' Walker said. Alabama fired Mike Shula on Nov. 26 after the Tide went 6-6 in his fourth season and lost its fifth consecutive meeting with rival Auburn. Rodriguez met Wednesday with West Virginia athletic director Ed Pastilong, and his alma mater plans to spend millions of dollars to upgrade its football facilities. "We want him to stay,'' Pastilong told The Associated Press on Wednesday evening. Rodriguez and his wife, Rita, met with Alabama athletic director Mal Moore Tuesday night in New York City before the College Football Hall of Fame induction banquet. Rodriguez built West Virginia into a Big East Conference power, winning the Sugar Bowl after the 2005 season and a share of three straight league titles. The Mountaineers finished 10-2 this season and play in the Gator Bowl against Georgia Tech on Jan. 1. Rodriguez grew up 30 minutes from West Virginia's campus and played for the Mountaineers in the 1980s. Rodriguez would bring an impressive offensive track record to a Tide program that was criticized at times under Shula for being unimaginative and too conservative. West Virginia ranked second nationally in rushing offense and fourth in total offense last season; Alabama was 75th and 60th, respectively. After getting rebuffed by Saban on more than one occasion looks like Alabama finally setteled in on on their target....even though reports are that UM was going to talk to Rodriguez today...i guess those might be off if Alabama put the offer on the table Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Das Texan Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 especially since Alabama >>>> Miami Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsMania Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 especially since Alabama >>>> Miami cant really argue there. Bama is a top 5-10 coaching job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonDigital Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 The Miami Herald is reporting that Dolphins head coach Nick Saban turned down a $5 million a year salary for 10 years and a signing bonus of $7 million from Alabama. Damn. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16186668.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsMania Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 The Miami Herald is reporting that Dolphins head coach Nick Saban turned down a $5 million a year salary for 10 years and a signing bonus of $7 million from Alabama. Damn. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16186668.htm And the AFC East rejoices! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonDigital Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez turned down Alabama on Friday, telling his players that he'll be back for his sixth season with the Mountaineers. A loud applause could be heard from inside the Milan Puskar Center at Mountaineer Field after Rodriguez told his team he would be staying at his alma mater. "I fully respect his decision and wish him the best," Alabama athletic director Mal Moore said in a statement. "I want to remind everyone of what I said at the outset of this process: my only objective is to get the best person available to lead the Alabama football program. "I remain determined to bring to our program a proven head coach with impressive credentials." Alabama officials offered the job to Rodriguez on Thursday morning, but the definitive answer didn't come until more than 24 hours later. Reportedly, Alabama offered Rodriguez a $12 million, six-year contract. West Virginia athletic director Ed Pastilong worked on a proposal to keep Rodriguez at the school, but details were not immediately released. "It's a very good contract," said Stephen P. Goodwin, chairman of the WVU Board of Governors. "It's fair to the university. We're all tickled to death." Goodwin said West Virginia wasn't trying to compete with Alabama's offer. "We tried to make Rich the best offer WVU could make to keep him continuing on as a football coach. We didn't get into a bidding match. We couldn't have won that war," Goodwin said. WVU sports communications director Mike Fragale said Rodriguez would hold a news conference later Friday. Rodriguez has built West Virginia into a Big East power, winning the Sugar Bowl after the 2005 season and a share of three straight league titles. The Mountaineers are 10-2 and will play Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., on Jan. 1. Rodriguez signed a seven-year contract in June that pays him $1 million this year with $50,000 annual raises after that, and $600,000 in deferred compensation in December 2011 if he remained as coach. Alabama fired Mike Shula on Nov. 26 after the Tide went 6-6 in his fourth season and lost its fifth consecutive meeting with rival Auburn. The Tide had also made overtures to South Carolina's Steve Spurrier and Nick Saban of the Miami Dolphins, but both high-profile coaches opted to stay put. Then, Alabama's attention turned squarely to Rodriguez, who had both the offensive pedigree and the track record for winning the Tide wanted. It wasn't clear who the Tide will turn to now, though the university's original wish list also included Navy's Paul Johnson, Wake Forest's Jim Grobe and possibly California's Jeff Tedford. There have been no confirmed interviews with any of them. The once-mighty program is again left Crimson in the face in another coaching search. The Tide is seeking its fifth coach since Gene Stallings stepped down in 1996. Stallings is the only coach to manage sustained success since Bear Bryant's retirement after the 1982 season. Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2691319 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyBowden Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 Alabama shot themselves in the foot when they fired Shula. This is the 3rd person to turn them down in two weeks! What a bunch of suckers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsMania Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 I wonder who they go after next? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishfan79 Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 I wouldnt be surprised if the Texas Tech coach tries for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsMania Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 The Miami Herald is reporting that Dolphins head coach Nick Saban turned down a $5 million a year salary for 10 years and a signing bonus of $7 million from Alabama. Damn. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16186668.htm And the AFC East rejoices! I'm suprised no one took my bait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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