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West Virginia

West Virginia coaching candidates: Rich Rodriguez, Jimbo Fisher and more names to know

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West Virginia coaching candidates: Rich Rodriguez, Jimbo Fisher and more names to know


West Virginia head coach Neal Brown was fired on Sunday, one year after a breakthrough 2023 season in which he led the Mountaineers from last place in the preseason Big 12 poll to a 9-4 finish. Brown, who gained national notoriety thanks to a successful run at Troy, lost four of his last seven games, all by double-digits, with three of those defeats coming in Morgantown. He went 37-35 in six seasons and got West Virginia bowl eligible this year, but university brass was more than ready to make a change.

Brown had become known as one of the more thoughtful voices among FBS head coaches, but the sense you often got from former West Virginia players was that he wasn’t a great fit with the program’s DNA. He was very different from predecessor Dana Holgorsen, a fact which appealed to administrators at the time of the hire, but to some degree the edge to Holgorsen’s approach more closely matched the flavor of the program, much like Rich Rodriguez did when the program was really rolling.

Holgorsen and Rodriguez ran different innovative offenses, but their leadership styles fit the vibe around Morgantown on a raucous Saturday. West Virginia had lost some of that energy in recent years. Mountaineer football has long nurtured a rugged underdog mentality, and fairly or unfairly, folks around the program didn’t think they still had that under Brown. Late this season, they were presented with their opportunity to move on from him.

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Now, the question is who can bring that back to WVU in the Big 12? This program has always thrived on local talent mixed in with recruits from Florida, New Jersey, the DMV area and Ohio. This search could get very interesting thanks to a couple of West Virginians who figure to get consideration and could have strong support from some key folks.

The most intriguing — and perhaps most polarizing — name in this search is Rich Rodriguez, currently the head coach at Jacksonville State. Rodriguez is a proud son of West Virginia who played defensive back at WVU and later turned the Mountaineers into a contender with one of the best offenses in college football as head coach from 2001 to ’07. He crushed it on the booster circuit, and in his last three seasons in Morgantown, the Mountaineers posted three top-10 finishes and went 32-5.

His departure for Michigan sparked a nasty feud that spiraled into a messy legal battle, but big WVU booster Ken Kendrick has remained in his corner. A lot of the money people there still love the guy. It also doesn’t hurt that the biggest voice in sports media right now, former West Virginia and Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee, is a big believer in Rich Rod and knows how he runs things, having played for him for three years.

Rodriguez has always been a brilliant offensive coach, and he has always proudly called his programs hard-edged. At a time when some coaches may be reassessing how demanding they can be with their players, Rodriguez has not worried about guys jumping into the portal because things were getting tough. Unsurprisingly, the 61-year-old has done a superb job at Jacksonville State, going 26-10 and 18-3 in league play. Jacksonville State will play for the Conference USA title at home against Western Kentucky on Friday. The Gamecocks lead the country in rushing plays of 10-plus yards with 102 and are eighth in the country in red zone touchdown percentage (75.6).

Three other successful Group of 5 head coaches playing in conference title games this week are expected to get consideration for this job.

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UNLV’s Barry Odom has done an amazing job turning around the Rebels in two years. He has made shrewd hires, giving opportunities to two young coordinators in OC Brennan Marion and DC Mike Scherer, and both have produced outstanding results in Vegas. Odom is 19-7 overall at a place that hadn’t won more than eight games in a season in 40 years, and the 10-2 Rebels are playing for the Mountain West title Friday night. His teams have been forced to turn to backup QBs for long stretches of both seasons and have not missed a beat. Odom, 48, went 25-25 at Missouri, his alma mater, and clearly has learned a lot since then. The Oklahoma native also knows the Big 12 footprint well.

Army coach Jeff Monken has done a remarkable job turning around the football program at West Point. Army had one winning season from 1997 until Monken’s hiring from Georgia Southern in 2014, a 7-6 campaign in 2010. Since then, they’ve won at least eight games six times and are 10-1 this year. The 57-year-old would be an interesting hire in that he has led Army to eye-popping success despite not being able to utilize the transfer portal or the name, image and likeness market. Monken’s offense could be a major pain in the butt for Big 12 defenses, but do the Mountaineers want to go all-in on a coach making the move from service academy football? It’s a question many Power 4 athletic directors probably have pondered in recent years only to back away.

Ohio coach Tim Albin, another Oklahoma native, spent over a decade as the Bobcats’ offensive coordinator before taking over for Frank Solich. After a 3-9 debut season in 2021, Albin has things rolling, posting consecutive 10-win seasons and leading the Bobcats to a 9-3 regular season and a spot in the MAC title game. His time recruiting in Ohio and throughout the region would make some sense if West Virginia were to widen its search.

One Power 4 coordinator to keep an eye on is Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. It’s been a strong first season for Kotelnicki in Happy Valley. Penn State leads the Big Ten in yards per play at 6.80 and will play for a Big Ten title this weekend. It marks the third year in a row Kotelnicki’s offense has led its conference in yards per play. The Nittany Lions have gone from No. 54 in the FBS in third-down offense to No. 14.

At Kansas, Kotelnicki’s offenses led the Big 12 in yards per play in 2022 and ’23, giving the Mountaineers fits. The Jayhawks beat West Virginia 55-42 two years ago, and this season the Nittany Lions came to Morgantown and averaged 7.62 yards per play (the most anyone had against WVU this season) in a 34-12 Week 1 romp. The 43-year-old from Minnesota has an easy-going, affable personality that probably would play very well around Morgantown. Expect him to get a close look.

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Another Penn State assistant who might be in play is Nittany Lions assistant head coach/co-OC Ja’Juan Seider. A former West Virginia quarterback who got his start in college coaching at WVU before returning there as the running backs coach on Dana Holgorsen’s staff for four seasons, Seider is a well-regarded coach with deep ties around Florida, which has frequently been a key recruiting area for the program. Players really respond to him, and Seider knows from all his time in Morgantown what really works for the Mountaineers. He also has some former players and money people pushing for him to get in the mix.

The biggest potential wild card in the search could be Jimbo Fisher. He was fired about a year ago from Texas A&M, taking home a buyout north of $75 million. Like Rodriguez, Fisher is a native son with deep ties in the state. He grew up about an hour from Morgantown. He has always had a strong reputation as a recruiter and led Florida State to a BCS national championship before the program really backslid in his final years in Tallahassee. He had one excellent season at Texas A&M, going 9-1 in 2020, but fizzled out from there. West Virginia doesn’t have anywhere close to the resources of Fisher’s last two stops, but depending on how hungry he is at this point, he might be intriguing for the Mountaineers to at least check in on.

(Photo of Rich Rodriguez: Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images)



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West Virginia

West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Mega Millions, Daily 3 on Jan. 9, 2026

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1 hour ago

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January 10, 2026

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Are you looking to win big? The West Virginia Lottery offers a variety of games if you think it’s your lucky day.

Lottery players in West Virginia can choose from popular national games like the Powerball and Mega Millions, which are available in the vast majority of states. Other games include Lotto America, Daily 3, Daily 4 and Cash 25. 

Big lottery wins around the U.S. include a lucky lottery ticketholder in California who won a $1.27 billion Mega Millions jackpot in December 2024. See more big winners here. And if you do end up cashing a jackpot, here’s what experts say to do first.

Here’s a look at Friday, Jan. 9, 2026 results for each game:

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Winning Mega Millions numbers from Jan. 9 drawing

12-30-36-42-47, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 3 numbers from Jan. 9 drawing

5-4-4

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from Jan. 9 drawing

3-0-4-6

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Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 25 numbers from Jan. 9 drawing

01-05-06-07-12-13

Check Cash 25 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the West Virginia Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 11 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10:59 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Daily 3, 4: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.
  • Cash 25: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

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You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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West Virginia

West Virginia set to welcome No. 22 Kansas – WV MetroNews

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13 hours ago

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January 9, 2026

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West Virginia set to welcome No. 22 Kansas – WV MetroNews


MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A half hour or so had passed since West Virginia men’s basketball coach Ross Hodge recorded his first Big 12 win with the Mountaineers holding off Cincinnati 62-60 on Tuesday night.

Hodge expressed feeling fortunate that his team was able to overcome a late lapse where saw a six-point lead became a five-point deficit, and WVU (10-5, 1-1) avoided falling victim to a poor finish that was problematic in narrow neutral-site setbacks to Clemson and Ohio State.

Yet as is generally the case in the Big 12, there was little time to savor the result, and it was time to turn the attention to No. 22 Kansas, Saturday’s opponent for a noon tip inside Hope Coliseum. 

The matchup against KU and its two-time National Champion head coach Bill Self airs on FOX.

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“I have a ton of respect for coach Self and Kansas. Thankful, honestly. That would be the emotion. Thankful to be in this league,” Hodge said. “This is the third best basketball league on the planet. It’s the NBA, the Euro League and the Big 12. With that comes really good catches and really good players. More than anything, an appreciation and thankfulness. Once the ball gets tipped, it really is like your team is trying to out-execute his team and you don’t spend a lot of time thinking about any of that other than how can I help our guys execute better in these stretches and play better defense. That’s where your mind is.”

Jan 6, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Ross Hodge celebrates after defeating the Cincinnati Bearcats at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images

For at least one night, Hodge was able to breathe a sigh of relief after late three-pointers from both Honor Huff and Treysen Eaglestaff, the latter of which came with the shot clock winding down in a well-defended attempt out of desperation that was instrumental in helping the Mountaineers prevail past the Bearcats.

Later Tuesday night, KU (11-4, 1-1) overcame a 15-point deficit with inside 5 minutes remaining, staging one of its infamous improbable rallies at Allen Fieldhouse to defeat TCU in overtime, 104-100.

“We didn’t guard. We didn’t rebound,” Self said. “Our body language stunk for a good portion of the game. We played with different energy levels individually throughout the game. We were spectators and didn’t create activity. There were a lot of things we didn’t do the other night, but at the end of the day, we should show ourselves that we can do it, because we did it under the most intense, pressure-packed situations. 

“That’s why the last 4 minutes of a game are the most important 4 minutes, because if you make a mistake, you can’t recover. Even though we made a couple mistakes in the last 4 minutes, it was still about as well-played as any stretch that we’d had during the game and when it counted the most.”

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Self has been displeased with the Jayhawks’ defense over two Big 12 games, with KU allowing 181 points, including 168 through regulation. 

“We just haven’t been connected on the defensive end like we were prior to Christmas,” he said.

WVU presents a quality chance for KU to rectify its defensive issues as the Mountaineers are 15th among 16 Big 12 teams in overall scoring (74.1 points per game) and scoring within Big 12 games (60.5). At 45.4 percent, WVU ranks 14th in the league in field goal percentage.

But Self knows his team must be aware at all times of Mountaineer guard Honor Huff, who leads the conference with 60 three-pointers and made 6 of 10 against UC after going 1 for 8 the previous outing at Iowa State. 

Huff has at least four made threes in eight games this season as well as another in which he shot 3 of 4 from distance. Additionally, Eaglestaff is 14 for 34 from long range over the last five contests.

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“They let their shooters shoot it and they have three guys that can, but two of them really can and will shoot a lot of them,” Self said. “We have to do a great job of defending the arc.”

The Mountaineers continue to be solid defensively and rank second to Houston in scoring defense among Big 12 teams at 61.5 points. WVU held Cincinnati to 22 for 62 shooting and 10 two-point field goals.

“You have to be able to play long stretches of quality basketball to win games. We were fortunate to win if I’m being really honest,” Hodge said. “Our first shot defense was good. Holding a team to [35] percent from the floor is good enough to win. [WVU’s] nine assists to 15 turnovers is not going to win you games a lot of nights. We did out-rebound them [37-33]. We got to the free-throw line. We didn’t necessarily make them at the rate we need to [7 for 13], but we made the big ones late.”

Jan 6, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) shoots as TCU Horned Frogs forward Xavier Edmonds (24) defends during the second half of the game at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Mountaineers will be tasked with trying to limit one of college basketball’s most feared offensive players and top pro prospects in 6-foot-6 KU freshman Darryn Peterson.

Peterson has played in only six games due to a hamstring injury and scored a career-high 32 points against the Horned Frogs, but sat out the extra session with cramping.

He is averaging 22.5 points on 50 percent shooting and has made multiple treys in all six games, while shooting better than 43 percent beyond the arc.

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“He feels good. He’s full speed,” Self said.

Tre White, a 6-7 swingman, is the team’s second-leading scorer at 15 points, followed by 6-10 forward Flory Bidunga (14.3 points, 9.1 rebounds) and guard Melvin Council Jr. (13.7 ppg).

WVU, which has yet to record a Quad 1 or Quad 2 victory, is 10-0 at home this season and 7-5 against the Jayhawks in Morgantown.

“In this league, you better take care of home,” Hodge said. “It’s the Big 12. Every game is going to be challenging in its own way.”

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West Virginia

West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Daily 3, Daily 4 on Jan. 8, 2026

Published

1 day ago

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January 9, 2026

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Are you looking to win big? The West Virginia Lottery offers a variety of games if you think it’s your lucky day.

Lottery players in West Virginia can choose from popular national games like the Powerball and Mega Millions, which are available in the vast majority of states. Other games include Lotto America, Daily 3, Daily 4 and Cash 25. 

Big lottery wins around the U.S. include a lucky lottery ticketholder in California who won a $1.27 billion Mega Millions jackpot in December 2024. See more big winners here. And if you do end up cashing a jackpot, here’s what experts say to do first.

Here’s a look at Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 results for each game:

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Winning Daily 3 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

8-1-9

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

9-6-6-7

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 25 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

02-05-06-11-12-17

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Check Cash 25 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the West Virginia Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 11 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10:59 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Daily 3, 4: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.
  • Cash 25: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

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Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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