Nick Saban Believes Rich Rod Can Have a Curt Cignetti-Like Year at WVU in 2025

One of the best to do it gives his take on Rich Rodriguez.

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Many question whether or not Rich Rodriguez will be able to have the same success he did at West Virginia this time around as he did 17 years ago when he had the Mountaineers on the doorstep of the National Championship. They also wonder if he'll be able to win at the Power Four level in today's era of college football.

One thing is for certain: he'll have the resources needed to compete. From facilities, NIL pool, etc., the Mountaineers are in as good of a position as they've been in years. Legendary Alabama head coach and West Virginia native Nick Saban brought up Rodriguez during Friday night's pregame show on ESPN previewing Indiana and Notre Dame, a game featuring a coach, Curt Cignetti, who made the jump to the FBS and had major success in year one.

“When you hire a guy that comes up from a lesser program, but it’s a good team and they have good players, and that guy can bring thirteen players from his team, they already understand the culture. They already understand the leadership necessary to have a good team, having been successful. That has a big impact. And Rich Rod’s going to have the same opportunity at West Virginia.”

Let’s go Mountaineers #CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/Vpw5q6jSMD

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 21, 2024

Rodriguez actually assisted WVU AD Wren Baker in the search for the program's new head football coach and spoke about his involvement on the day of Rodriguez's introductory press conference on The Pat McAfee Show.

“I just talked to Wren a couple times about who was the best fit. Who was the best fit for West Virginia? It’s not just about coaching knowledge or what your record was in some other part of the country. How do you fit? How do you believe? How are you going to relate to the people? How are you going to be able to recruit the players you need to compete against the competition and dominate the competition? I think Rich is the right guy to do that.”

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