Big 12 Football Media Days are in full swing in Dallas, and on Wednesday the media got the chance to talk with WVU football head coach Rich Rodriguez about his return to his alma mater after an 18-year absence.
Rodriguez has had a long coaching journey in college football that has been at multiple times tumultuous. Whether you focus on the backlash he faced leaving the Mountaineers after his first stint coaching the program, his underwhelming tenure and subsequent firing at Michigan, or his controversial departure from Arizona, Rodriguez's career hasn't been a walk in the park.
When asked on Wednesday why he continues to coach at the collegiate level despite the turmoil, particularly as he also took time to lament some of the changes to the sport in recent years, his reasoning behind sticking with the sport was at the same time humorous but relatable.
"Hell, it's a lot easier than working in the coal mines or digging a ditch, you know what I mean," Rodriguez quipped.
That's not exactly a foreign sentiment for millions of college football fans who likely continue to work jobs they don't always enjoy due to the alternative options being a bit more difficult -- and let's be honest, some of the more common ground established among football fans is that there are few jobs with as many perks -- even if you fail miserably -- than an FBS coaching gig.
Rodriguez went on to elaborate that a lot of what keeps him around the sport as he gets older is a simple passion for the sport of college football -- something else many die hard fans surely find to be a relatable feeling.
"I just love, and I've always loved coaching. I started off at the Division 2 level, and you know, you're not taking a job for money or fame or anything like that," Rodriguez said. "You're taking a job because you love coaching and you love coaching, you love being around athletics. And I still love it."