Loyalty is another one of those “L” words that is often thrown around.  It is used when it is not really meant.  Just ask West Virginia and Rich Rodriguez.  Rodriguez, the West Virginia native who brought the Mountaineers back to prominence booked it to Michigan earlier in the week, citing it was a deal to good to pass up.  It is understandable to a degree, however, it may have sat better with the West Virginia faithful had Rodriguez gone about it differently..  There is no shortage of coverage on this matter and I am sure most of you know what I am referring to.  However, this may not be the worst thing for the Mountaineer football program.

3-8.  That was Rich Rodriguez’s record his first season at WVU.  Since that time he has failed to keep his now former team off of the college football map.  The Mountaineers have been to a New Year’s Day bowl game the last five seasons including two BCS bowl appearances.  So there was obviously an outcry of dismay when Michigan “stole” away another coach from a major sports program at West Virginia. 

However, in Rodriguez’s short tenure at WVU he had several teams ranked in the top ten and was often the sleeper pick to win the National Championship.  Although expectations were often high, Rodriguez could never get his team to the big game.  His best chance came this past season when West Virginia was ranked #2 in the BCS Standings going in to it’s final game against hated rival Pittsburgh.  The Mountaineers lost another game which they should have won, a recurring theme during the Rodriguez era. 

Shortly following that loss, Rodriguez decided he would be better off patrolling the sidelines in Ann Arbor; a choice that could turn out to in the best interest of both the Mountaineers and Wolverines.  West Virginia has begun it’s search for a new head man.  The candidates include Florida’s Doc Holliday, Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster, Oregon’s Chip Kelly, former Auburn head coach and current television analyst Terry Bowden, and Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher.  The men on this list could be the best thing to happen to West Virginia since Major Harris.         Rich Rodriguez’s stubborn play calling and predictability often cost him against teams that prepared well for the Mountaineer attack.  Any one of these coaching candidates could be the one to turn West Virginia into a National Title winner.

The new head man will have no shortage of athletes to throw in to the lineup.  Quarterback Pat White will be among the Heisman candidates next season along with Steve Slaton, who is likely to return after a “mediocre” season.  Not to mention an already stellar recruiting class entering the confines of Mountaineer Field next season.  Whoever is hired at West Virginia will be given the keys to an offensive juggernaut as well as a defense that has vastly improved since last season making his job that much easier.  A new head coach could be the key to taking West Virginia to the next level, a National Championship.  Something former coach Rich Rodriguez could not do.  So, Mountaineer faithful, say good riddance to your beloved coach Rod, and say hello to your National Title savior; whoever it may be.