ESPN’s Haney: Rodriguez could be in play for South Carolina

Arizona Wildcats fans should probably brace themselves for more rumors about head football coach Rich Rodriguez leaving for another job.

You can blame South Carolina for that.

USC coach Steve Spurrier retired on Oct. 13, leaving the post he held since 2005. Having done so during the season sort of left the school in a lurch, but at the same time gave them the advantage of being able to start their search for a replacement sooner than some other schools who will eventually need coaches will.

And according to ESPN’s Travis Haney, in an ESPN Insider piece, the top of their list is said to include Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, Houston coach Tom Herman and Memphis coach Justin Fuente.

All would seem to be solid choices for an SEC school that is not quite at the level of some of the conference’s elite. But, Haney writes, there is another name who should be considered, and that’s Rodriguez.

Rodriguez did not immediately come to mind when I started to think about potential candidates for South Carolina. I assumed he would stay at Arizona until a bigger job — say, LSU or Florida State — became available. But as I discussed the possibility with agents and coaches, as well as with people close to the Gamecocks’ search, it seems distinctly possible that the 52-year-old Rodriguez and Tanner will eventually talk.

Rodriguez has been in Arizona since 2012, guidng the team to a 31-16 record (16-14 Pac-12) in the process. He’s been to a bowl game in each of his first three seasons, a tenure that also included a Pac-12 South title and berth in the Fiesta Bowl in 2014. This season, they are 5-2 with a 2-2 conference record.

Despite his success and apparent happiness in Tucson, Haney writes coaches who know Rodriguez believe he may be itching to get closer to the East Coast and perhaps lead a program with a higher profile than Arizona Football.

Arizona did host “College GameDay” this season, but football still shares the spotlight with basketball, and it pales in comparison to the passion for football at South Carolina.

Before taking over in Arizona, Rodriguez had a less-than-stellar three-year run at Michigan. Prior to that he build a reputation as one of the game’s brightest coaches while leading West Virginia to a 60-26 mark over seven seasons, as he built the Mountaineers into a Big East power.

Haney points out that if Rodriguez is not an option for South Carolina, he could emerge as a prime choice for Virginia Tech, should the Hokies decide to replace Frank Beamer. He points out Rodriguez and VT athletic director Whit Babcock have a relationship that dates back to their time at West Virginia, which could help in their pursuit.

In terms of money, both South Carolina and Virginia Tech would have no trouble paying Rodriguez’s $500,000 buyout or offering him significantly more than the $2.8 million base salary he is making now, and though the coach would be giving up on a stock option plan that would pay out should he stay in Tucson through the 2019 season, Haney says from talking to those who know Rodriguez that will not be a factor in deciding whether to interview or take a job on the East Coast.

Ultimately, if Rodriguez wants to leave there will be very little Arizona can do to stop him. One thing that may help keep him in the Old Pueblo is his family, as he has a daughter who his cheerleading for UA and a son who is currently a junior quarterback at Tucson’s Catalina Foothills High School.

Whether or not Rodriguez leaves the Wildcats after this season, down the road or never, these kind of rumors are bound to keep coming up. It’s a simple and frustrating reality when you have a highly-regarded coach working for a program that is not thought to be on the same level. And if you’re Arizona, having a coach other schools desire is not necessarily a bad thing, because it means he’s doing a good job with your team.

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