IS RODRIGUEZ'S DEPARTURE HAVING AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON WEST VIRGINIA?

by Moondog, The World According to Moondog

Most preseason polls had West Virginia ranked in the Top 10 but early losses to East Carolina and Colorado have left the Mountaineers with a 1-2 record and out of the Top 25.

With upcoming games against Marshall, Rutgers and Syracuse the Mountaineers will more than likely sport a 4-2 record when their schedule toughens again when they face No. 15 Auburn in Morgantown on October 23.

Like all of the preseason prognosticators, me included, too much emphasis was placed on West Virginia having quarterback Pat White returning and the dynamic Noel Devine replacing departed tailback Steve Slaton.

In reality, not much credence was given to the offseason drama surrounding the departure of head coach Rich Rodriguez. Having played at the college level for one of the finer coaches at that time, I have personal experience in knowing how a team can be effected when a head coach departs.

After the 1980 season, Mike Gottfried left Murray State and took the head coaching job at the University of Cincinnati. Gottfried had taken the Racers to the Division 1-AA playoffs in 1979 and guided Murray State to a 9-2 record in 1980.

When Gottfried departed, Frank Beamer became the new head coach at Murray State. Beamer, the current head coach at Virginia Tech, had been the defensive coordinator under Gottfried and was always thought of as the heir apparent to the head coaching job at Murray.

With Beamer at the helm the following season, the Racers finished 4-7 and never enjoyed the same success it had when Gottfried was running the show.

This isn't a knock against Beamer, who clearly is one of the better coaches in the country, having turned around the Hokie program into one of the most consistent in the nation. But the fact remains the players on that Murray State team were there because of Gottfried, not Beamer.

Just like West Virginia - or any other team - recruits are initially contacted by an assistant coach but ultimately it is the head coach that seals the deal. When Mountaineers' coach Bill Stewart took over, starting with West Virginia's Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma, it appeared WVU had their man.

But Rodriguez' rather nasty departure to take the head coaching job at Michigan could very well have had an adverse effect on the Mountaineers. Granted, West Virginia lost several key players off of last season's team, including the bulk of the defense.

The loss of those instrumental players was perhaps enough for West Virginia to struggle early. That and the fact the Mountaineers schedule was more challenging, facing a good East Carolina team and an improving Colorado team on the road.

But like any head coach, Stewart is going about the business of putting his mark on the Mountaineers.

Like Beamer taking over for Gottfried, players have to adjust to different personalities. While players certainly viewed Stewart as an authority figure when he was an assistant, he wasn't THE authority, Rodriguez was.

And don't forget, these are Rodriguez' players, not Stewart's. Players are looking at Stewart in a different light where not long ago perhaps they viewed him as the kindly old uncle.

I don't know that for sure and anything I write would be speculative, but I can state from experience that having a successful head coach leave your program has effects.

The Mountaineers have enough talent to win the Big East and gain a berth in a BCS bowl. But some of the luster of last season's success and the successes of previous seasons has worn off a bit.

With Stewart recently signing a six-year contract, West Virginia has anointed him as the man to guide the Mountaineers into the next decade.

But don't be surprised to see West Virginia having a few transitional seasons as Stewart completely remakes the program his way.