ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- A brand-new coach and a brand-new style of football arrived at the University of Michigan yesterday.

Rich Rodriguez was introduced as the 18th coach in the history of the Michigan football program, along with a much different offensive philosophy than Wolverines fans have become accustomed to from retiring coach Lloyd Carr.

Rodriguez, 44, spent the past seven seasons as the coach at his alma mater, West Virginia, where he led the Mountaineers to a 60-26 record, four Big East titles and six consecutive bowl bids.

Stepping to the podium in a blue pinstripe suit with a silver block 'M' lapel and a navy and yellow necktie that was a little more Mountaineer gold than Michigan maize, Rodriguez brought with him a wealth of knowledge in the no-huddle spread offense.

And running the spread offense at Michigan, Rodriguez said, is the only way for him to go about his tenure here.

"If you want to know our system or philosophy, if you turned on your TV and watched us over the years [at West Virginia], that's what you'll see," Rodriguez said. "That's the only thing we know, and I think we have the ability to adapt our schemes to our personnel with offense, defense or special teams.

"Our philosophy is something we've done over the last 17 years, and we have enough capabilities to tweak it to the guys we have here."

Rodriguez's hiring ended a 28-day search that included two coaches deciding to stay at their respective schools in LSU's Les Miles and Rutgers' Greg Schiano. It also marked the second time in eight months that Michigan snatched a coach away from West Virginia after John Beilein was named the Wolverines' men's basketball coach in April.

Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman and athletic director Bill Martin met with Rodriguez and his representatives Friday at an undisclosed location in Toledo, Ohio, to discuss the school's coaching vacancy.

Martin said Rodriguez brings with him an "exciting brand of football" Wolverines fans will appreciate.

"I finally checked my e-mail [Sunday] night, and I received a message from one of the alums that said, 'Strap on your seat. Here we go,'" Martin said with a big smile. "I couldn't be more excited."

Terms of Rodriguez's contract with Michigan have not been released and still are being finalized, Martin said.

What is certain is that Rodriguez will be accompanied by at least two of his West Virginia assistants in Calvin Magee and Tony Gibson.

Magee served as Rodriguez's offensive coordinator and assistant head coach and will assume the same role with the Wolverines.

Gibson was the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator at West Virginia but likely will take over as Michigan's defensive coordinator.

Rodriguez said a few of Carr's former assistants may be retained as well, but that no decisions have been finalized.

While McGee and Gibson will return to West Virginia and coach the Mountaineers in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma, Rodriguez most likely will not. Ultimately, that decision will be left to West Virginia officials, but Rodriguez admitted his mind will be elsewhere if he is asked to remain with the Mountaineers until after their Jan. 2 bowl date.

"My focus is going to be on the University of Michigan and this football program, and I don't think it would best serve West Virginia if I'm thinking about the Big House while trying to prepare for a bowl game," Rodriguez said. "And that's just being honest."

Rodriguez said he would like to begin meeting with the Michigan players during their preparation for the Jan. 1 Capital One Bowl matchup with Florida, but admitted he doesn't want to become a distraction.

Carr quickly rebuffed any timidity on the part of Rodriguez immediately becoming a member of what Martin called the "Michigan family."

"He's going to be welcome in anything he wants to be involved in," Carr said. "We want the transition to be done in such a way that he feels welcome. We also want the players to get to know him."

Rodriguez may be the first outsider from the Wolverines coaching pedigree to be hired at the school since Bo Schembechler in 1969, but he does have two links to the maize and blue.

Don Nehlen, Rodriguez's coach at West Virginia, served as an assistant for Schembechler at Michigan from 1977-79. Rodriguez also grew up just five miles from the birthplace of legendary Michigan coach Fielding Yost in West Virginia.

Plus, as Carr stated, any consideration of Rodriguez's lineage being outside the Michigan family tree is null and void now.

"He is a Michigan man," Carr said. "He's here."