WVU Football NCAA Probe: Rich Rodriguez Stirs Up Even More Trouble

The University of Michigan's new athletic director David Brandon had been on the job only a few days before he made his official assessment on head coach Rich Rodriguez. 

"He's our coach for this season," Brandon said. "There's nothing within the framework of the NCAA allegations that led me to believe that it should change his status as our coach."

Brandon might want to change his tune after news broke today concerning the NCAA's probe into West Virginia's football program—specifically, some allegations surrounding Rich Rodriguez while he was the Mountaineers' head coach, according to a source close to the situation.

Today a reporter attempted to ask Rodriguez for comment on the Mountaineers' ongoing probe, but according to ESPN , the question was cut off by director of media relations Dave Ablauf before the question was even finished.

Rodriguez did not make any comment, but Ablauf offered up this gem: "We're going to pass on that."

While we don't know the scope of the investigation, nor the specifics, this has to be disconcerting news for Michigan fans. One of the classiest programs in football has now embarked on a journey that just won't end. And once again, West Virginia has been caught up in another wake left by Rich Rodriguez.

Is the once pristine maize and blue now tinged with a scarlet "R"? It's disturbing to think about, as most true sports fans are familiar with the esteemed and highly regarded football program in Ann Arbor. Wolverines football has always been on the up-and-up and has avoided NCAA scandals in an age where it's difficult not to.

Michigan is above all this nonsense. Until, at least, they hired Rich Rodriguez.

It's not Michigan's fault. Or is it?

Many Wolverines' fans will remember the warnings they received from Mountaineers' fans after Michigan hired Rich Rodriguez—at the time, it appeared to be sour grapes. You know, like the ones Tennessee Volunteers' fans seem to be nibbling on for the last few months. But most of Ann Arbor crossed their fingers and hoped the mumblings from disgruntled fans weren't true.

Despite many fans pledging their faith to Rich Rodriguez, they can't help but be a bit leery after Rodriguez' loss in a highly-publicized lawsuit brought on by West Virginia. Michigan had to suck up a $2.5 million buyout payment, while Rodriguez has had to pay back $1.5 million in three payments to West Virginia.

Then the Detroit Free Press broke a story about rules possibly being broken involving Michigan players and their workout schedules. Past and current players allegedly told stories of excess hours practiced, as well as a lack of monitoring by the athletic departments.

Still, even after Rich Rodriguez gave a tearful statement to the press regarding the allegations made against the team and school's administrators, something didn't sit right. It seemed forced.

As of now, Rodriguez is sitting on an imaginary burning couch and West Virginia fans have now got one over on Vols fans. In the minds of Mountaineers' fans, their native son fled the hills of West Virginia for the greener grass in Michigan. He fought a lawsuit over his $4 million buyout clause, eventually causing more rifts and more resentment within the peaceful Morgantown communities.

Their satisfaction was somewhat sated when Michigan went 5-7 last year, and 3-9 in Rodriguez' inaugural year as head coach. The Mountaineers, in the mean time, found a folksy head coach in Bill Stewart who has led them to two consecutive bowls.

But now the Mountaineers' program may be taking a hit, and if the allegations are found to be true by the NCAA, the penalties could be major.

So the questions that beg to be answered are, if West Virginia is charged and found guilty of infractions of rules, and is sanctioned, will any of that have any bearing on Rodriguez' current status as head coach at Michigan? Or would it just be the alleged infractions at Michigan that will be his ultimate demise?

The NCAA has already filed a Notice of Allegations against Michigan's football program (five potentially major infractions) while under Rich Rodriguez' tenure— Michigan has 90 days to respond to the accusations, including one that alleges Rodriguez "failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance within the football program."

The school is set for an August infractions meeting with the NCAA. Because Michigan had some violations occur with its basketball program in 2003, the school could also become subject to the "repeat violator rule" set forth by the NCAA. It's unthinkable.

While AD Brandon probably wouldn't terminate Rodriguez' contract if the current violations charges against Michigan are found to be true, what if more smoke is found in Morgantown? What if West Virginia gets nailed?

After all, Rodriguez did say he's always run a clean program, and if he's proven to be dishonest regarding his practice regimens, there has to be a character clause in his Michigan contract. So where's the smoking gun in proving he might have been dishonest? 

Rodriguez issued this statement to the Detroit Free Press right after it broke the story on potential rules being violated at Michigan: "We know the practice and offseason rules, and we stay within the guidelines. We follow the rules and have always been completely committed to being compliant with all rules.”

What happens in West Virginia, ergo, happens to Rich Rodriguez. A behavior in breaking the same type of rules at two separate schools shows a proclivity of not being committed to following the rules, despite what he has said earlier.

Perhaps Rich Rodriguez has made poor choices in hiring coaches. Perhaps he doesn't understand the NCAA guidelines. Perhaps the Notice of Allegations are defensible and Rodriguez did nothing wrong. Perhaps he is a scoundrel who will do anything to win.

Perhaps West Virginia will finally get the last laugh in its quest to punish Rich Rodriguez, but only if its own football program gets sanctioned in the process.

The irony is delicious. And unsettling.

For both programs.