The many faces of RichRod
Rich Rodriguez agreed to become the Arizona Wildcatsβ football coach in November 2011 without ever seeing Arizona Stadium, the UA campus or even Tucson. He had seen blueprints for the yet-to-be-built Lowell-Stevens Football Facility and felt athletic director Greg Byrneβs desire to be a power program; that was enough.
Rodriguezβs hire has proved to be one of the biggest moments in UA sports history. Rodriguez has turned a rudderless program into a national player. Arizona can claim its first-ever outright Pac-12 championship.
Hereβs a look at the fiery Rodriguez in pictures:
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Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez wields his water gun to distract Shun Brown from fielding a kick return during University of Arizona Wildcats football practice on Aug. 19, 2017, at Sancet Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez talks to his players during the early going on the first day of practice for Arizona's spring season, Saturday, February 18, 2017, Tucson, Ariz.
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Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez, left, confers with quarterback Jerrard Randall (8) after he ran for a touchdown against the Colorado Buffaloes in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015, in Boulder, Colo. Arizona won 38-31.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez paces the sidelines after a Wildcat drive ended fast early in the third quarter against Washington State at Martin Stadium, Saturday, November 5, 2016, Pullman, WA.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez mulls over his response to a question while talking with reporters during the final press conferences prior to the Fiesta Bowl, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, Scottsdale, Ariz.
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Arizona Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez smiles and high-fives running back Samajie Grant (10) after his fourth quarter touchdown during the Arizona State University Sun Devils vs. University of Arizona Wildcats in the Territorial Cup college football game on Nov. 25, 2016, at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez disagrees with the spot Washington got on a play in the second quarter during their Pac-12 game at Arizona Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016, Tucson, Ariz.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez doubles over after the Arizona couldn't convert in the red zone during the second quarter of the University of Arizona Wildcats vs. Grambling State University Tigers college football game on Sept. 10, 2016, at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.
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Head coach Rich Rodriguez does some paperwork while waiting out a lightning delay that held up the start of practice for more than an hour at Arizona Stadium, Friday August 7, 2015, Tucson, Ariz.
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Head coach Rich Rodriguez goes through with his ritual pre-practice jump-n-bump with defensive lineman Sani Fuimaono during the Wildcats first practice of the season at Kindall Field/Sancet Stadium, Thursday, August 4, 2016, Tucson, Ariz.
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Cornerback DaVonte Neal can't believe head coach Rich Rodriguez ruled against the defensive unit during a blocking drill at the University of Arizona's spring open practice, Friday, March 4, 2016, Tucson, Ariz.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez, right, congratulates Arizona running back Davonte' Neal (19) after his touchdown during the first quarter of the No. 15 Arizona Wildcats vs. Washington State Cougars college football game on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez high-fives fans as he heads through the Wildcat Walk before the No. 12 University of Arizona vs. No. 13 Arizona State college football game on Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, at Arizona Stadium.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez gives an official an earful after a penalty against the Wildcats during the fourth quarter of the No. 12 University of Arizona vs. No. 13 Arizona State college football game on Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, at Arizona Stadium.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez signals to the officials after the Wildcats got a first down inside the ten yard line with time winding down in the second quarter against Washington in the half of the their Pac-12 game at Arizona Stadium, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez has words for his offensive unit during a stretch inside the Colorado ten in the second quarter of their Pac-12 game at Arizona Stadium, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez, right, and his staff try to get a play signaled into the offensive unit in the third quarter against Oregon at Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014.
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Arizona safety Jared Tevis, right, is amped up to side-bump with Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez, left, after Tevis broke down the team for warm-ups during the University of Arizona Wildcats' first fall football practice on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014, at Arizona Stadium.
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Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez has words with two of the game officials after his Wildcats were called for an illegal forward pass in the second quarter against USC in their Pac-12 football game at Arizona Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014.
As featured on
Rich Rodriguez and Scooby Wright earn yearly honors from Pac-12.
The sophomore-to-be from Windsor, Calif., is obviously off to a good start.
The Arizona Wildcats wonβt have to travel far for their biggest bowl game in two decades.
