What If Rich Rodriguez Had Taken the Alabama Job in 2007?
In December 2006, Rich Rodriguez stood on the edge of history. Alabama, one of college football’s crown jewels, had come calling with a lucrative offer and the keys to a dynasty-in-waiting. At the time, Rodriguez was a rising star, having just led West Virginia to a stunning Sugar Bowl win over Georgia and a string of 10-win seasons. Yet, when the moment came, he turned Alabama down. The job eventually went to Nick Saban—and the rest became football lore.
Now, as Rodriguez returns to West Virginia in 2025 in a new role, reflecting on that moment offers a fascinating alternate reality. What if Rich Rod had said yes?
“I probably would’ve taken it if certain promises had been kept,” Rodriguez admitted in a recent interview. “But there were red flags—control issues, contract details, things behind the scenes that didn’t sit right. I trusted my gut. And yeah, I’ve thought about it a thousand times.”
Had he taken the Alabama job, the landscape of college football might have been irrevocably altered. Rodriguez’s signature spread-option offense, revolutionary at the time, could’ve redefined SEC football years before it eventually did. Think of Julio Jones catching bubble screens in space, or Mark Ingram in the read-option—Rodriguez might have built something uniquely powerful in Tuscaloosa.
But what of Nick Saban? Without Alabama, does Saban return to college football at all? Does Michigan State or another program lure him back? The ripple effects are endless: No five national titles at Alabama, no reign of terror over the SEC, and perhaps no College Football Playoff dominance as we know it.
Back in the real world, Rodriguez’s career took a different path—one riddled with near-misses. He left West Virginia for Michigan in 2007, but his system clashed with the existing culture. His time in Ann Arbor was tumultuous, marred by NCAA violations and a lack of fit. Eventually, he found modest success at Arizona, then bounced around smaller programs.
“I don’t regret it,” Rodriguez said. “But you always wonder. I know I could’ve won big there. I know it.”
Rodriguez’s brutal honesty today—almost two decades later—carries the weight of hard lessons. He was once the future of college football. But while Saban was building a dynasty in Tuscaloosa, Rodriguez was learning that innovation alone doesn’t guarantee success—it needs structure, support, and timing.
As he returns to Morgantown in 2025, not as a savior but as a mentor and elder statesman, Rodriguez brings wisdom forged in the fire of tough decisions and lost opportunities. His presence is a reminder that history is not just about those who seize the spotlight, but also those who nearly did.
Had he taken the Alabama job, Rich Rodriguez might have ruled college football. Instead, he became a cautionary tale of timing, fit, and what might have been.
