Doc Holliday didn't get the West Virginia head-coaching job this time, even though he was the front-runner to replace Rich Rodriguez as of Dec. 20. He didn't get a program with a recent history of national championships and a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and a location where recruits grow on trees, precisely what he left behind in Florida. He didn't get much of a raise, either, although his $400,000 annual salary is the highest for a Mountaineers assistant and more than double the previous high.

Rather, what he did get: A chance for a homecoming.

West Virginia is "a place I'm sure they always wanted to be," Mountaineers head coach Bill Stewart said yesterday in formally announcing the home-state return of Diana and Doc Holliday, who will be associate head coach -- his title at Florida -- along with recruiting director and coach in charge of fullbacks, tight ends and special teams. Coincidentally, all but the recruiting part were the duties belonging to Stewart, who was named West Virginia's head coach the morning after the team's Fiesta Bowl triumph Jan. 2.

Holliday, 50, of Hurricane, W.Va., brings a national profile in recruiting circles and a wealth of scholastic contacts in South Florida, which, in part, will remain his territory. He will oversee the Mountaineers' recruiting efforts beginning immediately, Stewart said: "He will be the troubleshooter for us ... while [Stewart and West Virginia officials are] compiling the rest of the staff."

"We're going to hit the ground running [tomorrow]," added Stewart, who sounded as if he and Holliday planned to start that trail with a home visit to acclaimed line prospect Josh Jenkins of Parkersburg, W.Va.

Holliday made roughly $360,000 annually as Florida's associate head coach and safeties coach the past three years, winning a Bowl Championship Series title with the 2006 Gators. Before that, he spent five years in a similar capacity at North Carolina State, his first job outside of his home state and alma mater.

This former Mountaineers linebacker spent most of his 29-year coaching career under Don Nehlen at West Virginia, 1979-99. He was all but set to become the program's head coach in the first days after Rodriguez's departure for Michigan, but Gov. Joe Manchin intervened and the search process continued.

The pull for Holliday to come home remained strong.

"We're very, very excited to get what we think and most people think is the ... top-notch recruiter in college football today," Stewart said. "I personally am very excited that Doc has decided to come back to his alma mater. He will be a tremendous, tremendous asset to the West Virginia football program, the city of Morgantown and the entire state of West Virginia and Mountaineer family."

Holliday spent 20 of the past 25 years as a full-time assistant on the offensive side -- all coaching wide receivers -- and Stewart called him "a valuable asset to this offensive staff" still in the making after Chris Beatty's hiring Friday as running backs/slot receivers coach. While Stewart has talked to coaches at Division I-AA Appalachian State and other places and levels, he still is looking to hire a strength and conditioning coach, a line coach and an offensive coordinator -- where Charlie Taafe remains a possibility.

Taafe, an option proponent and a 2006 Pitt assistant among many other jobs, remains under contract for two more seasons with the Canadian Football League's Hamilton Tiger-Cats, which is a sticking point.

He apparently wants to return stateside to coach because of a high school-aged son who is a quarterback, but the CFL team's management is either holding him to his contract or some sort of separation terms.

General manager Bob O'Billovich told The Hamilton (Ontario) Spectator that Taafe "wanted to talk it over with his family" first and characterized it as a 50-50 proposition that Taafe stays or goes to West Virginia.