Jacksonville State is targeting Rich Rodriguez to be the Gamecocks' next head coach, sources told FootballScoop on Monday. A deal could be in place in the next 24 hours.
Rodriguez would easily be the most accomplished head coach in Jacksonville State history, a coach who had West Virginia on the doorstep of the BCS national championship game and turned down an Alabama job that ultimately went to Nick Saban.
The deal would give Jacksonville State an experienced, recognizable head coach as the program prepares to join Conference USA in 2023.
Rodriguez owns 163 wins as a head coach, dating back to Division II Salem University in West Virginia. Following that one-season stint in 1988, Rodriguez has led programs at Glenville State, WVU, Michigan and Arizona. He led Arizona to five bowl games in six seasons and a Pac-12 South title in 2014, but was fired in 2017 following an off-the-field scandal.
He has since worked as the offensive coordinator at Ole Miss and ULM, where he led an offense piloted by his son, Rhett.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.