Fri Dec 28 01:24:40 2007

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WVU sues Rodriguez to collect buyout money

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Wheeling, WV (Sports Network) - West Virginia University has sued former head football coach Rich Rodriguez, as the school tries to recover a $4 million buyout from his contract.

Rodriguez left West Virginia for Michigan and was introduced as head coach of the Wolverines on Dec. 17 to replace the retiring Lloyd Carr.

WTRF-TV in Wheeling reports the lawsuit, filed Thursday, charges that Rodriguez breached his contract with the school by taking the coaching job with the Wolverines.

According to the TV station, the lawsuit said Rodriguez left WVU "voluntarily" to take the job at Michigan and, therefore, he did not meet the terms of departure of his contract. Apparently, those terms include only his death, disability or permanent retirement.

Also, according to WTRF, another breach of his contract was talking to another school about employment while still under contract at WVU.

During his tenure at WVU, Rodriguez went 60-26, and that includes three straight 10-win seasons, and two BCS bowl trips.

It was the second time that Michigan nabbed a West Virginia coach this year, as men's basketball coach John Beilein was hired away from the Mountaineers in April.