Rich Rodrigues to Alabama. _______ to West Virginia.

It became apparent last night that Alabama had offered it's vacant head coaching position to West Virginia's head coach, Rich Rodriguez. The offer is worth a reported $12 million over 6 years, plus to $2million buy out of Rodriguez's current contract.

WVU seemed like the perfect place for Rodriguez, and I would have never thought of him leaving. He grew up about 30 minutes from the Morgantown campus and then played football for the Mountaineers in the 1980s. It seemed like a perfect match. Most college football players wo go on to coach have their alma mater as their dream job. However when money is involved, nothing else matters.

Plain and simple, if this goes through as expected, then it will be nothing more than a cash grab for Rodriguez. The $2 million is obviously worth mroe to him than the opportunity to further his legend in teh community in which he has spent a majority of his life.

There is nothing wrong with someone wanting to take a step up in the world and make a little more money. However, right now the Alabama job is a step down from the West Virginia job. At WVU, Rodriguez can realistically compete for a BCS spot year in and year out. At Alabama, he will find himself competing in the middle of the pack; and that just doesn''t cut it at Alabama. The man can do no wrong in Morgantown, and it is hard to understand why he would want to go somewhere like the looney-bin that is Tuscaloosa.

Seeing how this is all but a done deal, the focus should shift to who will replace Rodriguez at WVU. I am in no way close to the situation; however, I like to speculate. There are three names that I think will be at the top of West Virginia's list as soon as the Rodriguez news is made official.

The first name on the list is a name that has been linked to every job under the sun. And, to each and every one of those links he has said "no." However, if there was ever a job that made perfect sense for this particular guy, then it would be WVU. Morgantown is a blue-collar town, with a blue-collar school and this guy is definitely a hard nosed blue-collar guy. His no non-sense demeanor would fit perfeclty. His offense would definitely work like a charm with the current athlete at WVU. He is a native of Huntington, W.V. Was a one-time assistant at Huntington's Marshall University. Has a great deal of head coaching experience and has never had the opportunity to take a over a program in good standing. This year he pulled off one of the greatest miracles ever. He won a conference championship and a trip to the BCS at Wake Forest. Of course, I am talking about Jim Grobe. He has to be the top-candidate for this job. WVU should be prepared and willing to throw 1.5-1.75 million reasons why on top of the fact that he is a home town boy to come. I know he has said that he is perfectly happy at Wake, and who wouldn't be there. He is the first football coach in school history to outshine the school's basketbal coach. I doubt he pays for a meal in Reynolda Village. If he were to goto WVU, then he wouldn't have to pay for a meal anywhere in West "By God" Virginia. His personality fits better at WVU, he's from the area, has coached in the area, would have a legitimate shot to reach the BCS every year, would get paid more, would be THE top dawg on campus and would have the supposrt he lacks at Wake Forest. He has to be the logicalfirst choice for the Mountaineers.

The second name on the list should be Navy's Paul Johnson. The man has done an excellent job at Navy and has them in yet another bowl game. Once considered a top candidate for the N.C. State job, Johnson has been heavily scrutinized for his wish-bone triple-option offense. Well, with the athletes that they have at West Virginia that offense would work. Being the head coach at NAvy takes a tough personality and WVU is associated with tough personalities. Johnson wouldn't have worked at N.C. State. But, he would work at WVU. He could still run his offense and teh fan base would probably be perfectly fine with it so long as he won football games. That is completely opposite to the situation in Raleigh, just ask Herb Sendek. Johnson has taken Navy back into the respectable category and has beaten his biggest rival, Army, 4 consecutive times. I know it's Army, but with a rivalry like that you throw the records out the window. Johnson is not a W.V. native, in fact he is from North Carolina. But, he has all the characteristics required to be the head football coach for the Mountaineers. I think at this point he seems like the most realistic choice to succeed Rodriguez, because Grobe seems content on staying. But, this job will probably pry at Grobe's heart strings. So, that is why I am listing him as the top candidate. Plus, I would like to see him else where so that I wouldn't have to worry about him every year.

The third name is a West VIrginia grad, former player and former assistant coach. Florida's associate head coach and and safeties coach, "Doc" Holliday. He began his coaching carreer in 1979 as a graduate assistant at WVU. He would spend the next 20 years as an assistant for the Mountaineers before leaving to become the Assoc. HC/wide receivers coach under Chuck Amato at N.C. State in 2000. He then left NCSU in 2004 to join Urban Meyer at Florida for his current position. Holliday has a litany of NFL players that have played for him. He is considered one of the top assistants in the country that is not currently a coordinator. However, that is the one down fall of his resume. He doesn't have any head coaching or coordinating experience. He is probably their "go to" guy in the event that the aforementioned candidates were to say no. I don't know the man, nor do I claim to. But, I think he would take any offer sent his way.

So, how will this all turn out? That I don't know. There is one thing for sure, and that is that this season has been crazy. Countless caoching changes have overshadowed much of what has went on this year. Whoever takes that job will inherit a program in much better standing than Alabama's program. Rich Rodriguez is a fool to leave West Virginia for Alabama. Don't count on him being there too long. He must beat Auburn and the team that I saw play Auburn is far from being able to accomplish that.

Photos:
1.http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060321/060321_rodriguez_vmed_9p.widec.jpg 2.http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/wake/sports/m-footbl/auto_action/-grobe-orlebar-091303.jpg
3.http://starbulletin.com/2005/12/01/sports/art9.jpg
4.http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/31/319975.jpg