Rich Rodriguez’ Brutally Honest Admission On Almost Coaching Alabama Instead Of Nick Saban

New West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez still remembers when he almost took the head coaching role at Alabama before college football legend Nick Saban ultimately took the helm of the Crimson Tide.

Rodriguez, 61, took over the Mountaineers this offseason for his second stint as head coach of his alma mater.

Rich Rodriguez’ Brutally Honest Admission On Almost Coaching Alabama Instead Of Nick Saban

The former West Virginia safety previously led the program from 2001-07, posting a 60-26 overall record while securing four Big East championships and two New Year’s Six bowl wins.

Rodriguez became a coveted name in the coaching carousel given his track record with the Mountaineers. Alabama, who was looking for a replacement for Mike Shula, offered the prime job to Rodriguez in 2006.

However, Rodriguez elected to return to West Virginia. And the Crimson Tide hired Saban, already a one-time national champion at LSU, after his two-year stint with the Miami Dolphins.

Saban and Rodriguez went on to forge very different paths.

Before retiring after the 2023 season, Saban amassed a 206-29 overall record with nine SEC championships and six national championships in 17 seasons at Alabama.

On the other side, Rodriguez struggled to maintain his winning ways.

He spent three seasons at the helm of Michigan (2008-10) before taking over Arizona (2012-17). Rodriguez was fired by the Wildcats and went on to serve as an assistant at Ole Miss and Louisiana-Monroe before spending the last two seasons as head coach at Jacksonville State.

While looking back on his decision to turn down Alabama in 2006, Rodriguez shared a brutally honest admission while poking some fun at how the situation ultimately played out.

“Where’s my trophy in Tuscaloosa?,” he quipped while speaking with Josh Pate of CBS Sports. “Where’s my statue outside there? Because if I had gone there you probably wouldn’t have those six national championships.”