Former West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez filed a $1.5 million letter of credit Tuesday, claiming that's the amount he owes the university after leaving for Michigan. Rodriguez said that's the maximum under an amendment to his contract, which he claims was in effect when he resigned Dec. 18. West Virginia is suing Rodriguez over a $4 million buyout clause in his contract. "Coach Rodriguez is a responsible person," his agent Mike Brown said in a statement. "This is a good faith effort to move the process and communication lines forward so all parties can concentrate on their future endeavors."

Rodriguez claimed WVU failed to honor verbal promises, including that his buyout might be eliminated. WVU denied such a promise was made, and sued Rodriguez for breach of contract Dec. 27.

WVU attorney Jeff Wakefield did not immediately return a telephone message Tuesday.

The resignation, which came a year after Rodriguez pledged to remain in West Virginia for as long as the state would have him, touched off a bitter and ongoing public dispute in which each side has accused the other of breaching terms of the contract.

The gradual disintegration of the relationship between Rodriguez and the WVU Athletic Department was documented in a series of e-mails written over a five-month period and released to The Associated Press under the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

They show Brown fighting to get his client more operational and marketing control over the football program. They also show Brown threatening to take his client elsewhere as early as mid-November.

Written By VICKI SMITH