It turns out Rich Rodriguez will be sticking around Tucson, after all.
A report surfaced Thursday that the Arizona Wildcats' head football coach would interview for the same position at South Carolina -- and on Friday, he reportedly did.
But on Saturday night, Arizona athletics director Greg Byrne announced Rodriguez will return to Arizona for a fifth season -- and moments later, RichRod personally confirmed the news.
Great news! @CoachRodAZ did not commit to the offer from S. Carolina. He's an Arizona Wildcat. #BearDown
— Greg Byrne (@Greg_Byrne) December 6, 2015
Happy and honored to be an Arizona Wildcat!! Bear Down!!
— Rich Rodriguez (@CoachRodAZ) December 6, 2015
FOX Sports reporter Bruce Feldman said Rodriguez was offered the job and "mulled it over" during his flight from South Carolina back to Tucson. But RichRod ultimately decided he "has more work to do" at Arizona.
Rodriguez has a 32-20 record, including 17-18 in the Pac-12, at UA from 2012-15. In 2014, he led the Wildcats to their first-ever Pac-12 South division championship and their third-ever Fiesta Bowl appearance.
Rodriguez began his FBS coaching career at West Virginia, where he led the program from 2001-07. He left WVU for Michigan after the 2007 season but was fired after three unsuccessful years in Ann Arbor.
