Rich Rodriguez Salary & Contract: How He Became One of the Richest Coach in football

Rich Rodriguez is one of the most well-known and successful college football coaches in the United States. He is currently the head coach of the Jacksonville State University Gamecocks, a position he has held since the 2022 season. But how much does he make for each game? What is his net worth? How did he build his earning career? And what about his personal life? In this article, we will answer all these questions and more.

Rich Rodriguez Salary and Contract

Rich Rodriguez signed a four-year contract with Jacksonville State University on Jan. 28, 2023, after being introduced as the new head coach in November 2022. His contract runs through Dec. 31, 2025, with the possibility of an extension by the JSU president.

According to his contract, Rodriguez receives a base salary of $500,000 per year. However, he is also eligible for various bonuses based on the team’s performance on the field and in the classroom. For example, he can earn up to $195,000 per year in bonuses if the Gamecocks finish atop or tied for first place in their conference, finish in the top 25 of one or more of the Associated Press or College Football Playoff final football rankings, win six or more games in a season (only one of which can be against a non-FBS opponent), and achieve a graduation success rate of at least 80%, as determined by the NCAA.

Therefore, Rodriguez’s annual income can vary depending on how well his team does each season. However, based on his base salary and potential bonuses, we can estimate that he makes around $12,500 per game (assuming a 12-game regular season), plus additional income from postseason games.

Rich Rodriguez Net Worth

Rich Rodriguez’s net worth is not publicly available, but we can make some assumptions based on his earning career and lifestyle. Rodriguez has been coaching college football since 1988, when he was the youngest head coach in the country at Salem College. Since then, he has coached at Glenville State College, West Virginia University, University of Michigan, University of Arizona, Ole Miss, Louisiana–Monroe, and Jacksonville State University. His career college football coaching record stands at 172–121–2.

Rodriguez has earned millions of dollars from his coaching contracts over the years. For instance, he signed a six-year contract worth $15 million with Michigan in 2007. a five-year contract worth $9.55 million with Arizona in 2011, and a four-year contract worth $6 million with JSU in 2022. He also received buyouts from Michigan and Arizona when he was fired from those schools. He received $2.5 million from Michigan in 2011 and $6.28 million from Arizona in 2018.

Rodriguez also has other sources of income besides coaching. He worked as an analyst for CBS Sports in 2011. He also owns several properties and businesses. He owns a house in Tucson, Arizona that he bought for $1.9 million in 2013. He also owns a farm in Franklin County, Virginia that he bought for $9 million in 2014. He also owns a stake in a restaurant chain called Wings Etc.

Based on these information, we can estimate that Rich Rodriguez’s net worth is somewhere between $10 million and $20 million.

Earning Career

Rich Rodriguez’s earning career began when he was a student at West Virginia University. He played as a defensive back for the Mountaineers from 1981 to 1984 and recorded 54 career tackles over three seasons. He also earned a Physical Education degree from WVU in 1985.

Rodriguez started his coaching career as a student assistant under head coach Don Nehlen at WVU in 1985. He then moved to Salem College (now Salem International University) where he was special teams coordinator and secondary coach in 1986, defensive coordinator and assistant head coach in 1987, and head coach in 1988. He was the youngest college head coach in the country at age 25.

Rodriguez returned to WVU as a volunteer assistant with the outside linebackers for the 1989 season before taking over as head coach at Glenville State College from 1990 to 1996. He led the team to three consecutive West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) championships and competed in the 1993 NAIA national championship. He was named NAIA Division I Coach of the Year in 1993 and WVIAC Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1994.

Rodriguez then became the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tulane University from 1997 to 1998, where he helped the Green Wave achieve a perfect 12–0 season in 1998. He then moved to Clemson University, where he held the same positions from 1999 to 2000. He helped the Tigers improve their offense and win the 1999 Peach Bowl.

Rodriguez returned to his alma mater WVU as the head coach in 2001, succeeding Don Nehlen. He led the Mountaineers to four Big East championships (2003–2005, 2007), six bowl games (including two BCS bowls), and a 60–26 record in seven seasons. He was named Big East Coach of the Year in 2003 and 20052. He also developed several star players, such as Pat White, Steve Slaton, and Tavon Austin.

Rodriguez left WVU for Michigan in 2007, amid controversy and lawsuits over his contract and buyout. He coached the Wolverines for three seasons, from 2008 to 2010, but failed to meet the expectations of the fans and the administration. He had a 15–22 record, including a 6–18 record in Big Ten play, and only one bowl appearance (a loss in the 2011 Gator Bowl). He was fired after the 2010 season and received a $2.5 million buyout from Michigan.

Rodriguez took a year off from coaching and worked as an analyst for CBS Sports in 2011. He then became the head coach of Arizona in 2012, where he coached for six seasons until 2017. He led the Wildcats to five bowl games (including one Fiesta Bowl), one Pac-12 South Division title (2014), and a 43–35 record. He was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2014. He also developed several star players, such as Ka’Deem Carey, Scooby Wright III, and Khalil Tate.

Rodriguez was fired from Arizona in January 2018, after allegations of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment were made against him by a former employee. He denied the allegations but admitted to having an extramarital affair. He received a $6.28 million buyout from Arizona.

Rodriguez returned to coaching as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Ole Miss in 2019, under head coach Matt Luke. He helped the Rebels improve their offense and score an average of 26.6 points per game. However, he was let go after Luke was fired at the end of the season.

Rodriguez then joined Louisiana–Monroe as the associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach in 2021, under head coach Terry Bowden. He helped the Warhawks win their first game since 2019 and score an average of 21.8 points per game.

Rodriguez became the head coach of Jacksonville State University in November 2021, replacing John Grass who resigned after eight seasons. He led the Gamecocks to a 9–2 record, an Atlantic Sun Conference championship, and a berth in the FCS playoffs in his first season in 2022.

Personal Life

Rich Rodriguez was born on May 24, 1963, in Grant Town, West Virginia. He is of Spanish descent and his nickname is Rich Rod. He is married to Rita Rodriguez, whom he met at WVU when they were both students. They have two children: Raquel Rodriguez and Rhett Rodriguez.

Raquel Rodriguez is a singer-songwriter who goes by the stage name Raquel Lily. She has released several singles and albums, such as I’m Leaving (2018) and Leftovers (2020). She also streams on Twitch and YouTube, where she performs music and plays video games with her fans.

Rhett Rodriguez is a quarterback who played for his father at Arizona from 2017 to 2019. He then transferred to Louisiana–Monroe in 2020 and followed his father to JSU in 2021. He started nine games for the Gamecocks in 2022 and threw for 1,895 yards and nine touchdowns with six interceptions.

Rich Rodriguez is known for his innovative offensive schemes that feature spread formations, zone reads, option plays, and up-tempo pace. He is considered one of the pioneers

of the spread offense in college football. He is also known for his fiery personality and competitive spirit on the sideline. He has been involved in several controversies and lawsuits throughout his career, such as his departure from WVU, his tenure at Michigan, and his dismissal from Arizona.

Conclusion

Rich Rodriguez is a college football coach who has had a long and successful career in various schools. He is currently the head coach of JSU, where he led the team to a conference title and a playoff appearance in his first season. He has a net worth of around $10 million to $20 million, based on his earning career and lifestyle. He is married to Rita Rodriguez and has two children, Raquel and Rhett, who are both involved in music and sports.

Most Asked Questions and Answers

Here are some of the most asked questions about Rich Rodriguez and their answers:

• Q: How old is Rich Rodriguez?
  • A: Rich Rodriguez is 60 years old as of 2023. He was born on May 24, 1963.
• Q: Where is Rich Rodriguez from?
  • A: Rich Rodriguez is from Grant Town, West Virginia. He grew up in a coal-mining town and attended North Marion High School.
• Q: What is Rich Rodriguez’s coaching record?
  • A: Rich Rodriguez’s career college football coaching record is 172–121–2 as of 2022. He has coached at Salem College, Glenville State College, WVU, Michigan, Arizona, Ole Miss, Louisiana–Monroe, and JSU.
• Q: How much does Rich Rodriguez make per game?
  • A: Rich Rodriguez makes around $12,500 per game, based on his base salary and potential bonuses at JSU. His contract runs through 2025 and can be extended by the JSU president.
• Q: What is Rich Rodriguez’s net worth?
  • A: Rich Rodriguez’s net worth is estimated to be between $10 million and $20 million, based on his earning career and lifestyle. He has earned millions of dollars from his coaching contracts, buyouts, and other sources of income. He also owns several properties and businesses.
• Q: Who is Rich Rodriguez’s wife?
  • A: Rich Rodriguez’s wife is Rita Rodriguez, whom he met at WVU when they were both students. They have been married since 1988 and have two children, Raquel and Rhett.
• Q: Who are Rich Rodriguez’s children?
  • A: Rich Rodriguez’s children are Raquel Rodriguez and Rhett Rodriguez. Raquel is a singer-songwriter who goes by the stage name Raquel Lily. She has released several singles and albums and streams on Twitch and YouTube. Rhett is a quarterback who played for his father at Arizona and transferred to Louisiana–Monroe and then JSU.
• Q: What is Rich Rodriguez’s offense?
  • A: Rich Rodriguez’s offense is based on the spread formation, zone read, option plays, and up-tempo pace. He is considered one of the pioneers of the spread offense in college football and has developed several star players in his system.
• Q: Why did Rich Rodriguez leave WVU?
  • A: Rich Rodriguez left WVU for Michigan in 2007, after leading the Mountaineers to four Big East championships and two BCS bowls. He cited the opportunity to coach at a prestigious program with more resources as his reason for leaving. However, he also faced criticism from WVU fans and administration for breaking his contract and leaving before the Fiesta Bowl. He was sued by WVU for $4 million for breach of contract but settled for $1.5 million in 2008.
• Q: Why was Rich Rodriguez fired from Arizona?
  • A: Rich Rodriguez was fired from Arizona in January 2018, after allegations of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment were made against him by a former employee. He denied the allegations but admitted to having an extramarital affair. He received a $6.28 million buyout from Arizona.