Terry Bowden would like to return to coaching at West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia needs a coach and Terry Bowden likes the idea of making a return to coaching in his hometown.

Bowden, who grew up in Morgantown when his father Bobby was Mountaineers coach and played at West Virginia, has been out of coaching since 1998. Not long after Rich Rodriguez left the Mountaineers to take the Michigan job, Bowden, the former Auburn coach, let it be known he's interested in the West Virginia vacancy.

"I made a full commitment to get back into coaching almost two years ago. Coming home to West Virginia would obviously be the dream job for me," Bowden, a college football analyst on radio and for Yahoo! Sports, said in a statement released by his publicist.

When reached at his home Monday in Orlando, Fla., Bowden wouldn't say whether he has been in contact with the Mountaineers since Sunday, when it was announced Rodriguez was going to Michigan.

West Virginia athletic director Ed Pastilong didn't immediately return a telephone message Monday.

Pastilong must first find an interim coach to lead No. 11 West Virginia (10-2) in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2 against No. 3 Oklahoma (11-2).

Rodriguez said he wouldn't coach the Mountaineers in the bowl because he didn't want to be a distraction.

"The attention should be on the team. But I have not talked to West Virginia University about that," he said.

Rodriguez's $4 million buyout clause in his West Virginia contract still must be worked out. When Michigan lured basketball coach John Beilein away from West Virginia last April, his contract had a $2.5 million buyout clause. Under an agreement with West Virginia, Beilein agreed to pay $1.5 million to the WVU Foundation.

The interim coach won't be offensive coordinator Calvin Magee or secondary coach and recruiting coordinator Tony Gibson. Rodriguez introduced them at his Michigan news conference.

Magee declined comment on his immediate future. Gibson said he has committed to coming to Michigan but hadn't told West Virginia officials as of Monday morning.

"My contract goes through June, but when I get back I'm going to sit with the AD and say I'm going to Michigan when the bowl is over," said Gibson, who planned to fly back to Morgantown later Monday.

Gibson said he wouldn't call any West Virginia recruits who had made verbal commitments.