Rich Rodriguez no longer the Head Coach at Arizona

After six years in Tucson, head coach Rich Rodriguez is out at the University of Arizona after the school makes announcement.

Well, Rich Rodriguez haters, you’ve gotten your wish. On Tuesday night, rumors were circulating that the future of Arizona Football’s head coach was in doubt.

Following a tumultuous end to the 2017 season, and an investigation that had been going on behind the scenes, the school had decided to part ways.

More from Wildcats Football

• Arizona Football begins Conference play against Stanford
• Arizona Football starts slow but runs away from UTEP
• How Wildcats Fans Can Claim $200 INSTANT Bonus at BetMGM Betting $10 Right Now
• Costly Mistakes doom Arizona Football in loss to Mississippi State
• How can Arizona Football beat Mississippi State on the road?

Rodriguez had gone 43-35 in six seasons at Arizona, with five bowl appearances. The team finished in third place in the Pac-12 South, and won seven games, despite the Wildcats being picked to finish in last place prior to the season.

The news comes as bit of a shock, and I’m sure to some, this is a dream come true. Honestly, I am just curious of the timing.

Here is what Arizona Athletic Director Dave Heeke had to say about the schools decision to part ways.

However, there are two sides to every story. Here is what Rodriguez said after learning of his fate.

Here we are already into January, and the athletic department now decides to make a move, long after many schools have already got their coaching vacancies filled. Now, the Wildcats will begin their’s.

It is worth noting, Rodriguez’s contract is good until May 31, 2020. The schools’ boosters will cover his buyout.

If you’re Heeke, and this was going on, why not fire him after the ASU loss? Not when the team already finished the year with seven wins, got to a bowl game with a majority of freshmen!

However, it will be interesting to see what names surface in the coming days, but we can only theorize at this point.

If I’m Arizona, I’m looking at the biggest fish I could find, that is reasonable. Now, keep in mind I have no idea who Arizona will be considering, but my list of names would include;

Dino Babers (Head coach at Syracuse)

• Served on Arizona’s coaching staff from 1996-2000.
• Went 37-16 at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green combined
• Is known to be a solid recruiter, with ties to the Southwest

Derek Mason (Head coach at Vanderbilt)

• He doesn’t wow you with his record, but make no mistake he is a good coach, coaching in one of the toughest conferences, at one of the toughest schools to get in to.
• He was a top assistant at Stanford from 2010-13
• Attended Northern Arizona and has recruiting ties to the Southwest

Nathaniel Hackett (Offensive Coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars)

• If he can make Blake Bortles look good, you know he must be a good coach.
• He’s a darkhorse candidate, but he’s a name I’ve seen pop up, and if he decides to return to college football, he could find some success
• Was once a recruiting coordinator at Stanford

Marcel Yates (Arizona Defensive Coordinator)

• Is the interim head coach at Arizona for the time being
• Was hired from Boise State just a couple of seasons ago
• The players love him and some are already vouching for him
• Is a solid recruiter for the Wildcats, and could help stabilize the defensive staff with a potentially talented group in 2018

Chuck Cecil (Director of Player Development at Arizona)

• His past speaks for himself, since he is an Arizona legend
• Was on staff this past season, and has coaching experience in the NFL
• He seems to be liked by the players, and would definitely generate a lot of fan interest

Lane Kiffin (head coach at FAU)

• Current head coach at FAU, guiding the Owls to 10 wins in his first season
• Has ties to the Pac-12, having been USC’s assistant coach and head coach at one point, before being terminated
• Was on staff with Nick Saban at Alabama, and is definitely a popular name, especially offensively.
• Would be a terrific recruiter for Arizona.

Must Read: More on Arizona Football

At Zona Zealots, we are definitely surprised by the news, and wish coach Rich Rod the best moving forward! Bear Down, Arizona!