Which Assistant Coaches Could Follow Rich Rodriguez if He Returns to WVU?

A list of assistants who would be in consideration to be on Rich Rod's staff if he lands the WVU job.

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Jacksonville State head coach Rich Rodriguez is in the mix for the West Virginia head coaching job. It is believed that Rich Rod is one of the finalists for the gig and with the search over a week old, a decision should be coming any day now.

If Rodriguez does return to Morgantown, a handful of assistants on his current staff could follow him.

Rod Smith

Smith was Rich Rod's quarterback at Glenville State from 1993-96, and ever since, the two have had an almost inseparable relationship. You may remember that he served as Pat White's quarterback coach in 2007 before following Rodriguez to Michigan. There, he developed Denard Robinson into one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country.

From 2012-17, he was Rich's co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arizona and played a big part in the development of Anu Solomon and the early parts of Khalil Tate's career. Rodriguez hired him to be the offensive coordinator and QBs coach in 2022, and in two years at the FBS level, the Gamecocks' offensive unit ranked 38th and 16th in yards per game.

Pat Kirkland

Kirkland is currently the special teams coordinator/linebackers coach at Jax State. He and Rich Rod also go back several years. He served as WVU's Director of Recruiting and then as an assistant for five seasons on Rodriguez's staff at WVU, coaching the secondary and also some time as the fullbacks/tight ends coach.

He does have a decade of head coach experience under his belt, leading the University of Charleston (D-II) to a 70-41 record. Since taking over the responsibilities of the special teams unit at Jax State, he's produced one of the best punt and kick cover units in Conference-USA, and the country. In his first year on the job, the Gamecocks ranked fourth nationally in net punting, 10th in kickoff returns, and seventh in blocked punts.

Ryan Garrett

Garrett, the Gamecocks wide receivers coach, first connected with Rodriguez in 2019 at Ole Miss, where he first entered coaching as a grad assistant. In 2020, he was named the wide receivers coach at West Virginia State, but due to COVID-19, their season was cut short. In 2021, Garrett reunited with Rodriguez at UL-Monroe, where he was a grad assistant on Terry Bowden's staff. He followed Rich Rod to Jax State and has been with him ever since.

Rick Trickett

To those who are diehard college football and WVU fans, Rick Trickett needs no introduction. He's one of the best offensive line coaches in the game. He's coached at Mississippi State, Auburn, LSU, West Virginia, Florida State, Jacksonville State, and several other stops. Over 35 of his offensive linemen have reached the NFL, and over 40 of them earned all-conference honors. He rejoined Rich Rod at Jacksonville State in December of 2021.

Willie Green

The Jacksonville State defensive line coach was a player on the Florida Gators' 2008 national championship team. For his career, he totaled 53 tackles, 11 for a loss, and 2.5 sacks. Green was on the same staff as Rodriguez at UL-Monroe and was one of the handful of coaches he brought with him to Jax State.

Brandon Napoleon

The former West Virginia cornerback is off to a tremendous start in his coaching career. In 2023, he was named to 247 Sports' Top 30 coaches under 30 list during his time at Rhode Island. Everywhere Napeoleon has been, he's coached an All-American or All-Conference selection.

Here's the full list:

Syeed Gibbs - Rhode Island freshman all American (started at Georgia tech this year)

Shelton Gibson - Susquehanna Unanimous All American

Jordan Colbert - Rhode Island safety who got picked up by the Miami Dolphins

Brent Jackson - Rhode Island safety All conference

James Clark - Geneva CB 1ST team all conference

Zechariah Poyser - Has the numbers to be a freshman All-American this year (safety)

Antonio Carter - Jax State safety who has numbers this year to be an All-Conference selection this year

Napoleon is also the son of former West Virginia running back, Eugene, who played in Morgantown in the late 80s and was a part of the undefeated team in 1988 that played for a national championship.

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