MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — The West Virginia Mountaineers are in the middle of a coaching search to replace Neal Brown as the new head Coach of the football program, and one of the most influential and in-the-know people involved in the search is none other than former WVU punter/kicker turned media mogul Pat McAfee. Today, on ESPN’s College Gameday, McAfee said something that will get the West Virginia fanbase excited and pumped for the future of the team!
When discussing the Big 12 Championship game today against Iowa State and Arizona State, McAfee said, “I would like to say to both of these teams for them to enjoy it for now because West Virginia is coming!”
Enjoy it now because West Virginia is coming#CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/U9AN2IsqyJ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 7, 2024
McAfee has been a long-time supporter of his former head Coach at WVU, Rich Rodriguez, who won the Conference USA Championship last night. On a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee said, “His name (Rodriguez) is up there, though. His name is now being a part of the conversation – I think it has been for the last few years. It’s crazy. That would be one of the wildest things in the history of sports – let alone college football.”
Rodriguez went on to say, “The last thing I would want to do is put more pressure on Wren (Baker), and you know, who I think he should pick. He is the one that is tasked with making this decision. He is the one who has done a great job at figuring out who should lead a program and an organization. And when I talk to him, I just say ‘Hey, this person reached out..'”
Not only is Rodriguez a major favorite for McAfee, he’s also considered by far and away the most popular pick for donors and wealthy supporters of the program. If Rodriguez is hired, West Virginia will almost certainly get a major boost in NIL contributions and donations.
Rodriguez, after winning the Conference USA Championshipo last night, said something that conflicted with reports from yesterday suggesting he will interview with West Virginia University: “The reports, just rumors, right? Total rumors,” Rodriguez said. “My focus has been on these guys at Jax State, and they’ll continue to be. If any coach gets rumored for a job, it’s probably because his players and his coaches are doing pretty good. So, if I’m rumored for any job, then it’s because these guys and their teammates are doing a good job.
I have nothing scheduled, other than I’m going to have a great day with Miss Rita and the kids and Roxie and Rambo tomorrow, absolutely great day on Sunday, watching a little film, and then on Monday, getting starting to get ready for this great bowl game that we’re going to be in right here a couple weeks.”
However, I believe West Virginia University’s director of athletics, Wren Baker, will now reach out to Rodriguez now that the conference championship game is over and that Rodriguez will interview with the school either today or tomorrow for the vacant head coaching position.
Stay tuned because it’s getting very interesting in Morgantown!
