Scottsdale, AZ -- (Sports Network) - West Virginia dropped the interim tag and named Bill Stewart head coach after the team's impressive 48-28 win over No. 3 Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl Wednesday night.

Stewart agreed to a five-year deal and was introduced at a press conference from the team's bowl headquarters in Arizona.

"He obtained this position the old fashioned way, he earned it," said WVU athletic director Ed Pastilong. "Billy led us to our biggest football victory in the school's history against Oklahoma and he, his coaching staff and his support staff are outstanding Mountaineers, leading us through a tough time."

Stewart was originally promoted to interim head coach after Rich Rodriguez bolted for Michigan last month.

The 55-year-old veteran coach has been at WVU since 2000 and worked as an associate head coach this season. He coached the team's quarterbacks up until 2007, when he moved to tight ends, fullbacks and was also the special teams coordinator.

"It truly is a pleasure to serve as the head football coach at West Virginia University," Stewart said. "We have an outstanding group of players already in place and an excellent coaching staff, and I look forward to leading this group of young men and representing the great state of West Virginia."

Stewart has been a head coach once before, compiling an 8-25 mark from 1994-96 at Virginia Military Institute.

Since then, Stewart made several stops as an assistant coach before landing at WVU. He was an assistant at Marshall, William & Mary, Navy, Arizona State and Air Force as well as an assistant for two Canadian Football League teams, Montreal and Winnipeg.

West Virginia finished 11-2 this year, capturing the Big East title and the Fiesta Bowl.