Rich Rodriguez is staying as Arizona's head coach.
Despite overtures from South Carolina, both Rodriguez and UA athletic director Greg Byrne announced on Twitter on Saturday night that Rodriguez would not accept an offer from the Gamecocks to be their next coach.
Rodriguez "said he appreciated the opportunity to take a look," Byrne told the Star Saturday night, "but it was real clear to him that he’s an Arizona Wildcat.”
"We knew the whole time we wanted to him to be our coach, and he’s done a great job.”
Byrne and Rodriguez were set to meet on Saturday night, Byrne said, but Rodriguez called Byrne and told him meeting wasn’t necessary and that he was staying on as Arizona's coach.
Reports indicated that Rodriguez and former Florida coach Will Muschamp were the two leading candidates for the South Carolina job, and Rodriguez even went so far as to interview with USC on Friday.
The UA coach will speak to the media tomorrow afternoon as part of a previously scheduled availability pertaining to Arizona's bowl game announcement.
Here are the tweets:
Great news! @CoachRodAZ did not commit to the offer from S. Carolina. He's an Arizona Wildcat. #BearDown
— Greg Byrne (@Greg_Byrne) December 6, 2015
Happy and honored to be an Arizona Wildcat!! Bear Down!!
— Rich Rodriguez (@CoachRodAZ) December 6, 2015
This story will be updated.
Check out Tucson.com for more, as well as Sunday's Arizona Daily Star.
