Football
Associated Press 17y

West Virginia prepared to spend on facilities to keep coach

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia plans to spend millions
on its football facilities and hopes the improvements will help
persuade coach Rich Rodriguez to stay with the Mountaineers.

Rodriguez met on Tuesday with Alabama athletic director Mal
Moore, who's looking for a new head coach.

"We want him to stay," West Virginia athletic director Ed
Pastilong said in a phone interview Wednesday. "He's the one that
can make that call. We're hoping it continues."

Pastilong and Rodriguez met Wednesday in Morgantown to discuss
several issues, including the Mountaineers' upcoming Gator Bowl
appearance, but the Alabama job wasn't mentioned, Pastilong said.

Rodriguez and Moore talked informally Tuesday in New York, where
they attended the College Football Hall of Fame banquet. Alabama is
looking to replace Mike Shula, who was fired last month. The Tide
is 6-6 and heading to the Independence Bowl against Oklahoma State.

"There's no news today," Rodriguez said Wednesday as he left
the Charleston Civic Center after attending the West Virginia-North
Carolina State men's basketball game.

Rodriguez is 49-24 in six seasons at West Virginia. He said last
week he planned on being at West Virginia the remainder of his
career "if they'll have me." He is a West Virginia alum and
former football player.

"We want to make sure Rich has the resources so that he can
recruit well, so that his student-athletes can condition and train
well, and we also want to have the facilities in place so that
people who come to our games are comfortable," Pastilong said.
"And we've been fortunate to be able to accommodate those
situations."

In June, Rodriguez signed a seven-year contract that pays him $1
million this year with $50,000 annual raises after that. His base
salary is $150,000. He'll also collect $600,000 in deferred
compensation in December 2011 if he remains as coach.

The agreement included $125,000 more to pay assistant football
coaches and plans to renovate the team's athletic building, the
Milan Puskar Center. The renovation plans, including a study center
and locker rooms, were contingent on support from private
fundraisers, the university has said.

"There are some situations there that Rich would like improved
and we're going to improve them," Pastilong said. "That project's
going very good. It's on track and I'm pleased to say that will be
done in the near future."

About half of the funds for the $2 million study center have
been raised. Fundraising for the $4 million locker room
renovations, which include a redesign and expansion, is just
getting started, Pastilong said.

The university recently installed new turf in its indoor
football facility and in October opened a 3,000-square-foot area
dedicated to the history of Mountaineer football.

The turf at Milan Puskar Stadium, installed in 2002, also will
be replaced next spring with a more updated version.

Also, about 350 club-level seats are being added to the stadium
as "part of our expansion and opportunities to generate revenues
to continue the facility improvement," he said.

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