Alabama hiring Nick Saban changed the college football game forever; everyone knows that. However, before Saban came on board in 2007, Rich Rodriguez , the West Virginia head coach, was quite close to being hired at Alabama. “ Rodriguez was very, very interested in the position , and basically gave a verbal acceptance of it, ” said former Alabama search consultant Chuck Neinas, who had negotiations with Rodriguez at the time. The move then was fully in the pipeline, and except for a formal announcement, it was pretty much done. However, Paul Finebaum came out of the blue and halted the move as he details 18 years since.

Ian Rapoport, at the time an Alabama beat writer, broke the news of Alabama hiring Rodriguez. According to his sources, Rodriguez, including his family, was on boa

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