Rich Rodriguez offers $1.5m to West Virginia University

The negotiations between West Virginia University and former West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez continue with $1.5 million offer.

Rich Rodriguez offers $1.5m to West Virginia University Former West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez has offered to pay the university $1.5 million for his buy-out, was reported today. Rodriguez, who took the head coaching job with the Michigan Wolverines in December, filed a letter of credit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Clarksburg, West Virginia. According to the court filing, Rich Rodriguez submitted the letter of credit "in the spirit of compromise and as an act of good faith to assure West Virginia University that if this Honorable Court makes an award against Defendant, said monies will be paid." Rich Rodriguez is currently being sued by the West Virginia University to collect on a $4 million buy-out clause.

"The amount owed by Mr. Rodriguez, under the terms of the contract in effect at the time of his resignation, is $4 million," countered WVU attorney Jeff Wakefield and the legal battle between Rich Rodriguez and the West Virginia University continues. A $4 million buyout clause in the contract Rodriguez signed in August entitles the school to the money, is the claim of WVU, and on the other side, the former football head coach claims that the $1.5 million amount he offered come from the first amendment of the Employment Agreement at the date of his resignation. Rodriguez also says the he was pressured by the school to sign the one-year extension to his contract and that at that time he was promised the buy-out would be lowered.

Published on 01/29/2008