Morgantown, W.Va. ? West Virginia defended itself Tuesday against complaints from wealthy football boosters who are furious about the administration’s failure to offer coach Rich Rodriguez a deal to remain with the Mountaineers.

Attorney Stephen Goodwin, chairman of WVU’s Board of Governors, said that while the administration appreciates the generosity of its donors, it cannot let them decide how the school’s affairs are run.

The Board of Governors has confidence in how President Mike Garrison and athletic director Ed Pastilong handled the negotiations, Goodwin said.

“WVU went to the ends of the earth to keep the coach here, and clearly, some of our major donors assisted the school in that effort,” Goodwin said. “But he clearly was looking for an excuse to leave.”