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The coach of the 2005 West Virginia football team was Rich Rodriguez.
Rich Rodriguez is a former college football coach who is known for his innovative offensive schemes and his success at the University of West Virginia. Rodriguez was born on May 24, 1963, in Grant Town, West Virginia, and grew up in nearby Elkview.
After playing football at West Virginia University, Rodriguez began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at WVU in 1985. He then spent time as an assistant coach at various schools before taking over as head coach at Glenville State College in 1990.
In 2001, Rodriguez was hired as the head coach at West Virginia, where he quickly established himself as one of the most successful coaches in school history. His teams were known for their high-octane offense, which was built around a zone read running game and a fast-paced, no-huddle approach.
Rodriguez's teams at West Virginia had a lot of success during his tenure, winning four Big East titles and appearing in two BCS bowls. He was named the Big East Coach of the Year three times and was twice a finalist for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award, which is given to the nation's top college football coach.
After leaving West Virginia in 2007, Rodriguez went on to coach at Michigan, Arizona, and Ole Miss. While his tenure at Michigan was relatively short-lived and unsuccessful, his teams at Arizona and Ole Miss were competitive and won several bowl games.
Overall, Rich Rodriguez is known for his innovative offensive schemes and his ability to build successful teams at multiple schools. He has a career coaching record of 119-82-2 and has had a significant impact on the landscape of college football over the past few decades.
Rich Rodriguez's teams at 2005 West Virginia were known for their dynamic and explosive offense, which was built around a zone-read running game and a fast-paced, no-huddle approach.
The Mountaineers used a lot of pre-snap motion to confuse opposing defenses and create mismatches, and they relied heavily on the running game to move the ball down the field. They also used a lot of play-action passes to keep defenses off-balance and open up opportunities for big plays down the field.
One of the key components of Rodriguez's offense was the quarterback position, and in 2005, he had a talented signal-caller in Pat White. White was a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who could beat defenses with his arm and his legs, and he was a perfect fit for Rodriguez's system.
Along with White, the Mountaineers had a talented stable of running backs, including Steve Slaton and Owen Schmitt. Slaton was particularly effective, rushing for over 1,100 yards and 17 touchdowns on the season.
Defensively, the Mountaineers were also strong, holding opponents to just 16.2 points per game. They had a particularly strong pass rush, led by defensive end Mike Lorello and linebacker Kevin McLee.
Overall, Rodriguez's teams at 2005 West Virginia were dynamic and exciting to watch, and they were able to put up points in a hurry with their high-powered offense. They finished the season with an 11-1 record and won the Sugar Bowl, capping off one of the most successful seasons in school history.
Rich Rodriguez's offense style at 2005 West Virginia was a fast-paced, high-scoring attack that relied heavily on the running game and a zone-read option system. The offense was built around a quick tempo, with the Mountaineers often snapping the ball within 10 seconds of the previous play ending.
The centerpiece of Rodriguez's offense was the zone-read option, which was run out of the shotgun formation. In this system, the quarterback would read the defense and make a decision whether to keep the ball himself or hand it off to the running back. The running game was designed to create misdirection and confusion for the defense, with a lot of motion and shifting pre-snap.
Rodriguez's offense also made heavy use of the screen pass, particularly to the running backs, which allowed them to take advantage of open space and create big gains. They also used play-action passes to keep defenses off-balance and create opportunities for big plays down the field.
One of the key components of Rodriguez's offense was the quarterback position, which required a signal-caller who was comfortable with both running and passing the ball. In 2005, Pat White was the starting quarterback, and he was a perfect fit for the system, rushing for 952 yards and 7 touchdowns while also throwing for over 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Overall, Rodriguez's offense at 2005 West Virginia was dynamic and exciting, and it helped the Mountaineers put up points in a hurry. They averaged over 38 points per game, and they finished the season with an 11-1 record and a Sugar Bowl victory.