Rich Rodriguez is returning to West Virginia for a second stint as head coach at his alma mater. Athletic director Wren Baker announced the hiring on Thursday, 17 years after Rodriguez made a hasty exit for what became a disastrous three-year experiment at Michigan.

According to multiple reports, Rodriguez is set to return to his alma mater and lead the Mountaineers into the 2025 season. The 61-year-old played defensive back for West Virginia from 1981-84, got his coaching career started their as a student assistant in 1985, before getting his first head coaching opportunity with the Mountaineers in 2001.

Pete Thamel of ESPN broke the news via an X post on Wednesday evening, Dec. 11, that Rodriguez is the likely hire for WVU again now 24 years later.