There is obvious nostalgia with Rich Rodriguez returning to lead the West Virginia football program.

Rodriguez led the Mountaineers to three consecutive seasons of at least ten wins from 2005-07 and at least a share of four Big East Championships.

Leading the program from 2001-07, Rodriguez compiled a record of 60-26 during that time and won at least eight games in every season after his first.

There are plenty of good memories attached to that era of West Virginia football with a long list of talented athletes helping to make it as special of a time period as it was for the program.

Now, 17-years later, Rodriguez has returned to West Virginia and he is excited to get to work on building the Mountaineers once again.

“I feel young. I feel good,” he said.

And Rodriguez made it clear that any and all former players, whether he coached them or not, are welcome back to his program. That was evident with his former kicker Pat McAfee bringing his live show to Morgantown to introduce Rodriguez as the head coach and various other former players at practice throughout the spring.

It is something that Rodriguez wants to be at the center as he takes back control of the program.

“I want every player that ever played for any coach here at West Virginia from coach (Bobby) Bowden, to coach (Frank) Cignetti, to coach (Don) Nehlen, to myself, to coach (Dana) Holgorsen, to coach (Neal) Brown to coach (Bill) Stewart. Everyone of you former athletes, you are always welcome to come back home to West Virginia,” Rodriguez said.

And the veteran head coach is excited to build not only the program, but those ties off the field in order to bring former players back into the fold as a part of that process.

That includes the upcoming Alumni Picnic on Saturday, May 31.

Now, the focus turns to recruiting and developing that next generation of athletes.

“You get really good players and coach them really hard and help them get better, you’re going to win,” he said.