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West Virginia is expected to bring Rich Rodriguez back to his home state as head coach of the Mountaineers, 17 years after he and the school had a messy breakup at the end of a successful and entertaining seven-season run, a source close to the negotiations told The Athletic . Rodriguez wrapped up his second season as head coach at Jacksonville State on Friday night, leading the Gamecocks to their first Conference USA title in a 52-14 victory against Western Kentucky on Friday night. Advertisement The 61-year-old native of Grant Town, W.Va., was one of the forefathers of up-tempo, spread-option offense, and he used it to turn West Virginia into a national contender with one of the most exciting teams in the country from 2001 to ‘07. Rodriguez went 60-26 with three double-digit victory seasons in his final three years. West Virginia was looking for a replacement for Neal Brown, who was fired after six seasons at the school, and found it in a reunion that seemed impossible when Rodriguez left the Mountaineers for Michigan in December 2007. Rodriguez’s departure came at an especially raw time for West Virginia, less than a month after the second-ranked Mountaineers were upset 13-9 in their regular-season finale by Pitt, costing the team a spot in the BCS Championship Game to play for a national title. Then he and the school got into an ugly legal fight over a $4 million buyout West Virginia said Rodriguez owed the school after agreeing to a new contract just four months earlier. A breach of contract lawsuit was filed by West Virginia and eventually settled with Michigan paying $2.5 million of the buyout and Rodriguez paying $1.5 million in installments. Rodriguez spent three rocky seasons at Michigan, going 3-9 in his first season and never really seeing eye-to-eye with the administration. As Rodriguez tried to flip the Wolverines’ roster to fit his style of play, Michigan made only marginal gains. He was fired after an embarrassing 52-14 loss to Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl, leaving Michigan with a 15-22 record. After taking a year off and working in TV, Rodriguez was hired by Arizona. It was a good fit, at least at first. The Wildcats went 26-14 in his first three seasons, winning 10 games and going to the Fiesta Bowl in 2014. The program slid back after that, and the end of his tenure was again tumultuous. A former administrative assistant accused Rodriguez of sexual harassment in a lawsuit that was eventually dismissed. After a three-month investigation by the school, Rodriguez, who admitted an extramarital affair, was fired. Advertisement Rodriguez spent the 2019 as offensive coordinator at Ole Miss and landed at Louisiana-Monroe as an assistant in 2021. Jacksonville State hired Rodriguez to help the program transition up to the Football Bowl Subdivision, and he delivered consecutive nine-win seasons. Now he returns to the scene of his greatest achievements in coaching, the hard feelings he left behind long gone as West Virginia searches for sustained success in the Big 12 after 13 years of mostly middling results. (Photo: Dave Hyatt / Special to the Gadsden Times / Imagn Images)
Liverpool's Brazilian forward, Roberto Firmino, has been a vital player for the club since his arrival in 2015. Known for his versatility, work rate, and technical ability, Firmino has endeared himself to fans with his relentless work ethic and ability to score crucial goals. As Liverpool strives for success in both domestic and European competitions, Firmino's mindset and belief in the team's capabilities have been instrumental in their journey towards achieving greatness.
Title: 12306 Responds to Mother and Daughter Carrying Knives on Train, Police Already Involved in Investigation
As a further demonstration of her commitment to combatting online abuse, the director made the decision to dissolve a fan group dedicated to her own work. Citing concerns over the spread of negativity and hate speech within the group, she took a decisive stand for a safer and more inclusive online community. This move, though controversial, underscored the director's unwavering dedication to ethics and moral principles in her professional and personal life.