West Virginia's coaching landscape took an interesting turn last Friday when Rich Rodriguez was introduced as the new head coach. Now, just 24 years later, his first game with the Mountaineers will be in a bowl. This article delves into the details of this upcoming Frisco Bowl showdown and the various aspects surrounding it.

The Resilience of West Virginia Football in the Frisco Bowl

First Meeting After Rodriguez's Hiring

West Virginia's first game with Rich Rodriguez as head coach again will be in the Frisco Bowl. It's a significant moment for the program, bringing back memories of their first bowl win in 1984 after an eight-game losing streak. Rodriguez had previously led the Mountaineers to a 60-26 record over seven seasons.

Since then, he has had stints at Michigan, Arizona, and Jacksonville State. This return to Morgantown is a chance for him to make his mark once again.

Offensive Coordinator Takes the Helm

In this bowl game, offensive coordinator Chad Scott will serve as the interim head coach. He has been with the WVU staff for six seasons and has been the OC for two years. The players, despite the coaching change, are showing remarkable resilience.

"These players didn't ask to be in this position, and the resiliency they're showing right now is phenomenal," said Scott. "The attitude, effort and energy they're putting in is phenomenal."

Key Players and Their Stories

Quarterback Garrett Greene is among 21 seniors looking to finish with a winning season. The season didn't go as planned, but Greene is determined to make the most of this opportunity.

"The season obviously didn't go the way that we had hoped," Greene said. "For me personally, I don't want that to be the last experience that I have playing."

Seth Henigan, the only current four-year FBS starting quarterback to spend all four seasons at the same school, is also a key player. His final game for Memphis comes just over 20 miles from his hometown of Denton, Texas.

"I feel like it's happened so fast," Henigan said. "I feel like I was just a true freshman yesterday asking Brady White for advice. And now I'm Brady White."

Memphis' Impressive Streaks

Memphis has consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time in its 109-season history. They also have the longest active streak of scoring at least 20 points, with 39 consecutive games since November 2021. Fifth-year coach Ryan Silverfield is 3-0 in bowl games.

The Tigers played in their home stadium at the end of last season when beating Iowa State in the Liberty Bowl.

West Virginia's Missing Tackler

Freshman linebacker Josiah Trotter is a key player for the Mountaineers but won't play in the bowl game. He is second on the team with 92 tackles and is the son of former NFL All-Pro linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. He suffered a leg injury during spring practice last season.

Memphis' Defensive Dominance

Memphis has only lost two fumbles all season and leads the nation with 14 fumble recoveries. Linebacker Chandler Martin has four of those recoveries and is also their leader with 94 tackles and seven sacks. Their plus-16 turnover margin is just one behind FBS leader James Madison.