More than seven months after taking the job, Rich Rodriguez has signed his contract to be West Virginia's head coach.
As detailed by Eer Sports, the signed contract carries over all of the major details of the memorandum that Rodriguez had been working under until now. It's still a 5-year deal worth a total of $18.5 million. His salary begins at a relatively-modest $3.5 million this year and tops out at $3.9 million. If Rodriguez leaves for another job, he'd owe 25 percent of his remaining salary. If West Virginia fires him without cause, it would owe 50 percent of the remainder.
Where it gets interesting is in the concept of intellectual property, and how WVU plans to profit off it to the program and the coach's benefit. The contract details three slogans as "Personal Indicia of Coach": Hard Edge, Hold the Rope, and Spot the Ball. Rodriguez and his representation may have legal grounds to claim ownership over those phrases, and all the financial benefit that comes with them. His contract, however, states that 50 percent of merch sales either sold directly by WVU or licensed to a third party through WVU will go to the football team as directed by Rodriguez and approved by AD Wren Baker. The contract does not stipulate whether that money would be used to purchase new footballs or a new left tackle; it probably depends on how many Hard Edge T-shirts and keychains are sold.
This is probably a wise move by Rodriguez. With the guess that his share of the royalties probably lands somewhere in the five figures -- again, total guess -- that money is probably best used funneled back in the football program. Whatever dollar figure generated will help him access the real money -- bonuses, further years on his contract -- by improving the football team, rather than topping off the pile in his bank account.
Elsewhere, Rodriguez's bonus structure begins at $100,000 for eight regular season wins, and a 12-0 regular season would be worth $700,000. A Big 12 Championship berth will be worth between $100,000 and $250,000, depending on how WVU gets there and whether the Mountaineers win the game or not. (WVU has never made the Big 12 Championship in eight tries.) Postseason bonuses range from $50,000 for a standard bowl berth to $750,000 for a national title. (WVU has never won one.) Rodriguez has "at least" $5 million to spend on his on-field staff and $2.5 million on his off-field staff.
Unlike other head coaching contracts signed under Baker, Rodriguez's contract does not have an automatic extension trigger. Instead, on or around Dec. 31, 2027, Rodriguez's camp will sit down with WVU to discuss an extension with the understanding "there is no expectation of an extension, revision, or other additional terms not already stated in this Agreement."