Where the Grass is Green Enough  

Well, Rich Rodriguez is staying at WVU. I had predicted all along that he was happy at his alma mater and had no desire to go anywhere else. Well, I was getting nervous about that prediction for awhile, and his willingness to listen definitely made me wonder if he really is dedicated to staying in Morgantown. If he'd gotten an offer like that from a program without so much baggage, would he have gone? It's conceivable.

Still, Rodriguez stayed true to his roots. Another concern is that it seems like he was more than willing to use this offer as leverage to squeeze money from the school. It was a little more opportunistic than I would have liked to see.

Miami also realized that good things can be found close to home. They hired defensive coordinator Randy Shannon. Now, in many ways I like this hire. Shannon's defense was the lone bright spot for the Hurricane's difficult season. At the same time I hope that Shannon represents enough of a shift in philosophy for this program. I am usually in favor of qualified assistants getting an opportunity, since a big-name coach doesn't always produce big results. I have to say, in light of the NC State debacle, both Miami and Rodriguez showed good judgement in appreciating the opportunities they have in their current situations. These were not reactionary moves, but carefully considered ones, which is good news for any fan base.

Well, unless you are an Alabama fan, then things are getting a little desperate, and you might have to admit that maybe your program isn't as desriable a position as you'd like to think.