Almost 17 years to the date, Rich Rodriguez made a decision that would shock West Virginia and college football fans all over the country. The native son helped get the Mountaineers back on the national map in the early 2000s after a rugged first few years in the Big East Conference.

This search could get very interesting thanks to a couple of West Virginians who figure to get consideration and could have strong support.

West Virginia was among the schools that opted to make a head coaching change in the days following the conclusion of the 2024 college football season. Neal Brown was fired by the school after leading the Mountaineers for the past six seasons to a record of 37-35.