ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Rich Rodriguez, who left West Virginia last weekend, was introduced Monday as the next head football coach at the University of Michigan.
Rodriguez will take over for Lloyd Carr, who announced his retirement Nov. 19, a few days after the Wolverines finished an 8-4 regular season. Carr will coach Michigan in the Jan. 1 Capitol One Bowl against No. 12 Florida.
Rodriguez, however, apparently won't be the West Virginia coach when the No. 9-rated Mountaineers finish their season against No. 3 Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.
"It's an honor and privilege to be named the University of Michigan's head football coach," Rodriguez said Monday. "I will tell you it was a very difficult decision to leave the place where I grew up. In order to leave there (West Virginia) it was going to take a very special opportunity and a very special place and I think that's what this is."
West Virginia was 10-2 in 2007, marking a third consecutive 10-victory season for the Mountaineers. Rodriguez was 60-26 overall in seven seasons at West Virginia.
Michigan was 121-40 under Carr, who won five Big Ten Conference titles and the 1997 national championship in 13 seasons.
