Published: March 14, 2008 11:59 pm         

WVU and Rodriguez to face off in court April 3

MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University and ex-coach Rich Rodriguez will finally get a day in court.

Judge Robert Stone has set an April 3 scheduling conference and hearing date in Monongalia County Circuit Court in Morgantown. Stone will hear several motions and counterclaims filed so far in WVU’s lawsuit over a $4 million buyout clause in Rodriguez’s contract.

Among the motions are orders to compel Rodriguez to produce evidence and a request to expedite the trial. Both sides have indicated a desire to settle the matter before football season.

Rodriguez resigned in December after seven seasons with the Mountaineers to take the head coaching job at Michigan, taking some of his coaches and recruits with him.

WVU claims Rodriguez owes the full amount he agreed to pay in his contract. Rodriguez claims he signed that agreement under false pretenses, expecting certain verbal promises from the administration to be kept. They included the reduction or elimination of the buyout clause — a promise WVU denies making.

Depositions of Rodriguez and Athletic Director Ed Pastilong had been scheduled for later this month, but WVU attorney Tom Flaherty said Friday those will now be conducted sometime in April.

WVU sued Rodriguez Dec. 27, sparking a bitter and continuing public feud with charges and countercharges of lying, destruction of documents and more. The case was briefly sent to federal court, where a judge decided the case should be heard in state court.

Though his resignation shocked both fans and a team headed for the Fiesta Bowl, the gradual disintegration of the relationship between Rodriguez and the WVU Athletic Department was documented in a series of e-mails outlining the coach’s failed attempts to gain total control of the football program.