Pat McAfee has always marched to the beat of his own drum if you ask his former college coach Rich Rodriguez.
Appearing on Monday’s episode of “Andy & Ari” on On3.com, Rich Rod talked about what it was like coaching the future All-Pro punter-turned-sports media superstar in Morgantown — and it wasn’t always easy.
“Pat was a character and he was a character from Day 1, [but] he was one of the hardest workers we had — from a football standpoint, in the weight room… Pat works his [expletive] off,” Rodriguez said. “That’s why he’s had success in his current career because he works all the time [and] he puts a lot of pride into it.”
West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez on @PatMcAfeeShow in college: "I quit checking his curfew… but as long as he would make those kicks and be good at punting I was fine with it." @Andy_Staples x @AriWasserman pic.twitter.com/a3pQk3GhZQ
— On3 (@On3sports) March 3, 2025
“Now I quit checking his curfew… but as long as he would make those kicks and be good at punting I was fine with it,” the Mountaineers HC laughed. “Cause obviously he missed curfew a few times.”
“But he was great to coach,” Rodriguez concluded. “Not good — but great. And he’s been a great supporter of us since he’s got into the media world of myself and our programs.”
Rodriguez’s story definitely checks out. You don’t reach the heights McAfee has reached without putting in the work and he obviously likes to have a good time as well.
Rich Rod is set to make his second stint at West Virginia after returning to his alma mater back in December following stops at Michigan, Arizona and Jacksonville State.
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Rodriguez originally coached the Mountaineers from 2001-2007 where he turned WVU into a perennial CFB contender in the mid-00’s behind his revolutionary spread offense attack that helped lay the groundwork for some of the modern concepts we see today.
West Virginia has posted just two 10-win seasons since Rodriguez’s departure and are coming off a 6-7 season under Neal Brown and interim head coach Chad Scott.
Related: Former NFL Head Coach Is Likely ‘Done’ At 39
