Bob Huggins Says He is Not an Alcoholic and He Wants to Coach Again

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- Former West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins sat down for an interview with KDKA in Pittsburgh and he had a lot to say in a short interview. Huggins, who looked noticeably thinner and healthy, said that he was never an alcoholic and hasn't had a drop of alcohol since his incident in Pittsburgh. "I wasn’t the guy who would wake up and have a drink, I wasn’t the guy who had to have a drink before bed. I didn’t drink every day. What’s an alcoholic? An alcoholic drinks every day. I never drank every day. I went to rehab because it was something I felt I needed to do to continue doing what I love doing. I've always been the guy on the other side, helping people to get where they want to go, and so it was different for me when I had people trying to help me." https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1769873490180522269?s=20 Huggins then discussed his fundraising activities and why it's important to him: "My mom died of cancer and I love to help people. I raised a lot of money. We have the best practice facilities in America," Huggins said of West Virginia University. When asked if he would consider returning to coach basketball again, he said, "I would take it in the right situation. Yeah, I would like to coach again. I love working with young people. I was coaching kids as a freshman in high school. I love West Virginia and the people of West Virginia. I don't really want to leave West Virginia, but I don't think I have much of a choice." Huggins was then asked if he thinks he'll ever coach at West Virginia again and he responded by saying, "If there's a change in leadership." Huggins, 70, has had his name pop up recently as a potential candidate at current job openings, but it's not believed that he has been offered a position yet. Huggins has 935 career wins, is the 3rd winningest head coach in college basketball history, and is in the Hall of Fame. If a program wants to win immediately, Huggins would be just he guy to hire to turn a program around if they are willing to overlook his recent off-the-court issues. https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1769860701869285830?s=20

West Virginia Job is a Two Man Race

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- As I've said for nearly a month now, West Virginia University and James Madison head coach Mark Byington have a strong mutual interest in making him the next head coach of the Mountaineers. I've been told that Byington flew to Morgantown to meet with Baker prior to the start of the Sun Belt Championship, which his James Madison team won, and that they agreed that this is what both parties want for their futures. Rather than it officially being a "handshake deal" that guaranteed that Byington would be the team's next head coach, it's more likely that Byington and Baker met, both parties were happy with one another, and that barring any changes between then and the time that a head coach would be named, that Byington will ultimately end up at West Virginia. Now, Byington is the consummate professional, as is Wren Baker, and neither wanted their agreement to get leaked. Byington still has to coach his James Madison team in the NCAA Tournament, and Wren Baker has to make sure that all donors and interested parties are heard about who they want to be the next coach before he ultimately makes his decision. In other words, announcing that Byington will be the next head coach at West Virginia before his team is eliminated in the NCAA Tournament would be bad for Byington and for Wren Baker. A couple of things could potentially happen that would change Byington to West Virginia becoming a reality: 1.) Byington makes a huge run in the NCAA Tournament next week, takes James Madison to a Sweet 16, Elite 8 or even a Final 4, and then he suddenly becomes the hottest young coach in the nation who is being pursued by the likes of Michigan and Louisville. This is yet another reason why Byington hasn't already been announced as the next head coach at West Virginia. The coaches hold all of the power during this coaching carousel, with multiple outstanding jobs available and only a select few head coaches to fill those openings. Byington is only 47 and could easily be seen as the next Dusty May with a few wins over the next couple of weeks, and then he could absolutely demand more money from West Virginia, or any other program who wants him. 2.) Darian DeVries impresses Wren Baker so much that Baker can't help but to offer the job to Devries. Devries, 48, is the current head coach at Drake University. He started his career at Creighton, where he was a long-time assistant coach before accepting the job at Drake in 2018. While at Drake, DeVries has led the basketball program to incredible success. In addition, DeVries’ son, Tucker DeVries, is a current player at Drake and is the two-time Missour Valley Conference Player of the Year, averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season while leading the Bulldogs to a 27-6 record this season. Tucker DeVries has two years of eligibility remaining and would almost certainly follow his father to Morgantown if he coaches the Mountaineers next season. With this said, DeVries is reportedly a top candidate at Michigan, among other programs, and I think West Virginia would have a ton of competition in hiring him. Wren Baker was very clear during his recent press conference that he was not interested in getting in a bidding war for a coach, which leads us back to Mark Byington. Byington makes the most sense overall. He is a Virginia native and has proven to be an outstanding recruiter, particularly in the Washington DC and Atlanta areas, and would likely bring Sun Belt Player of the Year and former four star recruit, Terrence Edwards, along with him. Edwards, a junior from Atlanta, Georgia with two years of eligibility remaining, averaged 17.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while leading James Madison to a 31-3 record this year. Overall, the only two candidates who make sense for West Virginia at this point are Byington or DeVries (with a strong lean towards Byington), and both are absolutely fantastic head coaches. https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1769354634055877109?s=46

Why I Believe Mark Byington Will Be West Virginia’s Next Head Coach

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- The West Virginia Mountaineers are in the process of searching for its next head coach, but I believe the decision was made weeks ago. I said over a month ago that West Virginia University and James Madison head coach Mark Byington had a "handshake deal" for him to become the next head coach of the Mountaineers. The "handshake deal" may have been overstated, but the reality is that West Virginia's director of athletics, Wren Baker, and Mark Byington have been in contact about the position and both have strong mutual interest. I've been told that Byington flew to Morgantown to meet with Baker prior to the start of the Sun Belt Championship, which his James Madison team won, and that they agreed that this is what both parties want for their futures. Rather than it officially being a "handshake deal" that guaranteed that Byington would be the team's next head coach, it's more likely that Byington and Baker met, were mutually pleased with each other, and that barring any changes between then and the time that a head coach would be named, that Byington will ultimately end up at West Virginia. Now, Byington is the consummate professional, as is Wren Baker, and neither wanted their agreement to get leaked. Byington is still has to coach his James Madison team in the NCAA Tournament, and Wren Baker has to make sure that all donors and interested parties are heard about who they want to be the next coach before he ultimately makes his decision. In other words, announcing that Byington will be the next head coach at West Virginia before his team is eliminated in the NCAA Tournament would be bad for Byington and for Wren Baker. https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1768975933820526947?s=20 And remember, the deal isn't official, and anything can change until he signs on the dotted line. If James Madison makes a deep run in the NCAA Tournament - say, a Sweet 16, Elite 8 or Final 4 appearance - Byington's stock will skyrocket and he will be heavily pursued by other schools. Let's say Michigan, Ohio State or Louisville come knocking at Byington's door if James Madison makes a deep run during March Madness and really want him to be their next head coach. Can West Virginia really outbid any of these three big-time programs? No, unlikely. This is yet another reason why Byington hasn't already been announced as the next head coach at West Virginia. The coaches hold all of the power during this coaching carousel, with multiple outstanding jobs available and only a select few head coaches to fill those openings. Byington is only 47 and could easily be seen as the next Dusty May with a few wins over the next couple of weeks, and then he could absolutely demand more money from West Virginia, or any other program who wants him. All of this is to say that I truly believe Mark Byington will be West Virginia's next head basketball coach, but the reality is that this is a very fluid situation and anything can happen or change over the next couple of weeks. With that said, I will be shocked if anyone but Byington takes over the Mountaineers' basketball program. https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1769037829391159663?s=20  

Big Time Donor Suggests Bringing Bob Huggins Back to WVU Should Be a State...

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- In an article released earlier by John G. Miller of WV News, West Virginia businessman Ike Morris fired back at Ken Kendrick, another major WVU donor, about his recent comments about Bob Huggins. Earlier this week, Kendrick had the following to say about Huggins: "Bob Huggins has no place in the lives of young men who deserve quality leadership. I think WVU, in their handling of the Bob Huggins debacle, probably were too lenient with him,” Kendrick told MetroNews. “Had he worked for me, he would have not had a job after he engaged in this vituperative series of homophobic remarks back in the spring and then was retained under very difficult circumstances and then lost his job as a result of a drunken stupor,” Kendrick said. However, Ike Morris, who is the founder of Waco Oil & Gas, couldn't have disagreed more with Kendrick. "Don't get me wrong, Mr. Kendrick has probably done so much good for the University but he truly does not know Bob Huggins as well as I do," Morris said. "There's a lot of people out there who make mistakes, who have done things they wished they hadn't done," Morris said. "To say someone can't redeem themselves, I know Bob Huggins, I've seen the charitable work he does, I see the love and care he has for his players. I don't believe he's touched a drop of alcohol since the incident," Morris added. Morris went on to tell WV News, "The quick fix is Bob Huggins. I have no doubt in my mind that he should return. I just wished there was time to put it to a state vote." Despite the support from Morris and many other in the state of West Virginia, however, it's very unlikely that Huggins will be back as the head coach of the Mountaineers anytime soon. University president Gordon Gee put the chances of Huggins returning at "0" and Ken Kendrick, who is the university's top donor, said this week that Huggins' time at West Virginia is totally at an end. Huggins responded a day later in a classy statement, saying the following to his critics: "LOTS OF FOLKS ASKING FOR A RESPONSE TO RECENT COMMENTS ABOUT ME. THE ONLY THING I’LL SAY IS I KNOW MY SITUATION INVITES CRITICISM, BUT I HOPE THE STRONG OPINIONS AND JUDGMENTS ABOUT ME DON’T MAKE ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE FEEL ASHAMED IN THEIR OWN STRUGGLES. MY HOME STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA GETS KICKED AROUND A LOT, BUT THE TRUTH IS THERE’S A PROBLEM IN THIS STATE AND SO MANY OTHERS, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SUFFER FROM ADDICTION. IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION AND RECOVERY, DO NOT LET THE SHAMERS GET TO YOU. I CONTINUE TO LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES. WE ALL HAVE OUR CRITICS. LIKE ME, YOU MAY BE YOUR OWN WORST CRITIC. BUT AS WE KNOW WELL IN WEST VIRGINIA, PRESSURE MAKES DIAMONDS. KEEP PRESSING” Tell us in the comments below. Do you believe that Bob Huggins deserves another chance? Do you believe that it should be put to a state vote to determine his future at West Virginia University?

Bob Huggins’ Next Move

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- While Bob Huggins was forced to resign after making inappropriate remarks on a Cincinnati radio station and then weeks later, being arrested for a DUI, he is still the 3rd winningest head coach in the history of college basketball and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, and by all accounts, still wants to to coach basketball at the age of 70. Bob Huggins loves the game of basketball and he's clearly still passionate about coaching, and there will be a basketball program who wants to win that will give him the opportunity to get back into the game. While his name has been tossed around at places like Louisville or Ohio State, it's unlikely that a top program will offer him their head coaching position given his recent history and those programs' unlimited options. However, a place like the University of Texas at San Antonio, which currently has an opening and reportedly has some mutual interest with Huggins, could be a potential landing spot for Huggins to revive his career and to get back into the game that he loves so much. With that said, I've heard that Huggins really is comfortable in West Virginia and although he's bored without working, leaving his home at 70 years old might seem like a huge leap to make. I believe it would take a very, very special opening for him to seriously consider listening to an offer. If, for example, Cincinnati fired current head coach Wes Miller and there was a huge push to bring Huggins back to coach the Bearcats, I could see that happening. West Virginia is Huggins' home, but he also loves Cincinnati and an opportunity to finish his career where he dominated for so long (399-127 record, .759 winning percentage) would be very difficult to turn down. All things considered, I think it's unlikely that Bob Huggins will coach again, although I think he would be wildly successful if he did. He has proven time and time again that he can turn a program around and lead a team to a successful run in the NCAA Tournament, but the exact right situation would have to open for him to get back into the game he loves so much.

Today’s Reliable Rumors About the WVU Head Coach Search

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- Here at The Voice of Morgantown, West Virginia's Leader in News, Analysis and Rumors, we openly deal with and discuss rumors. When a major university is in the midst of a coaching search, there will be a lot of rumors circulating online. Today, I will give you the reliable, realistic rumors that I have heard about West Virginia's search for its next head basketball coach. There is major mutual interest between West Virginia and Mark Byington As I've said for the last month, it's very likely that Mark Byington will be the next head coach at West Virginia University. As I previously said, there were rumors that Byington and WVU had a "handshake deal", and while that may have been overstated a bit, these two parties have major mutual interest in striking a deal. Byington, who has led James Madison to a 31-3 record and a NCAA Tournament berth, is an outstanding coach and an even better person, and he's remained tight-lipped over the last couple of weeks about the West Virginia job. However, someone in his inner circle has leaked information and it's now very clear that if West Virginia were to officially offer him the position, he would likely jump at the opportunity. Byington, from all accounts, runs an excellent program and has created an awesome culture at James Madison, and he would be a superb fit at West Virginia. Remember, Wren Baker said yesterday that "fit" is one of the most important parts in choosing who will take over the basketball program. With that said, Wren Baker knows that he needs to make sure that all donors and interested parties are heard before he makes his final decision. Can he be swayed? Of course. But Baker loves Byington and Byington loves West Virginia. Darian DeVries to WVU has picked up a ton of steam over the last couple of days DeVries, who led Drake to a Missouri Valley Championship earlier this week, has become a very hot commodity in the coaching search, and West Virginia is certainly among the schools interested. According to a source, DeVries has already met with both West Virginia and Ohio State. Now, when I say he "met" with them, I mean that his people have spoken to the two schools to gauge interest. I believe DeVries is either West Virginia's top choice or right up there, but there will be a lot of competition for him with several head coach job openings becoming available. Not only has Ohio State reached out, I've heard that Michigan and Louisville are also very interested in him. If Ohio State, Michigan or Louisville are truly after him, West Virginia cannot and will not be able to outbid any of the three for DeVries. In his six seasons with the program, DeVires has put together an impressive 149-54 record (.734 winning percentage) and a 78-33 record in the tough Missouri Valley Conference. DeVries, a native of Aplington, Iowa, has led Drake to 3 NCAA Tournament appearances, a Missouri Valley Conference Championship in 2023 and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2021. In addition, DeVries’ son, Tucker DeVries, is a current player at Drake and is the two-time Missour Valley Conference Player of the Year, averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season while leading the Bulldogs to a 27-6 record this season. Tucker DeVries has two years of eligibility remaining and would almost certainly follow his father to Morgantown if he coaches the Mountaineers next season. Josh Schertz had a ZOOM call with West Virginia today Schertz, the current head coach at Indiana State, had his season end in the Missouri Valley Championship, and so he is now able to start meeting with interested programs and fielding offers. From what I understand, Schertz is likely in the top five at West Virginia but not one of the top one or two candidates. However, Wren Baker is obviously going to do his due diligience on all potential hires, and unlike the other candidates he's interested in, Schertz was available to discuss the position now that his team was likely eliminated from the NCAA Tournament. Schertz, 48, is the 7 time South Atlantic Coach of the Year and the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, leading the Indiana State Sycamores to 26-5 record. In addition, he could potentially bring his star player, Robbie Avila aka Cream Abdul-Jabbar along with him.

Bob Huggins Tied To Coaching Job

MORGANTOWN, WV - With the coaching carousel season upon us, it can be expected that Bob Huggins’ name will be one that is mentioned in many searches. Per one outlet, his next stop could be in the state of Texas. According to UTSA Insiders, Bob Huggins has been listed as a candidate for the vacant men’s basketball job at the University of Texas at San Antonio. https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1768681810332889488?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw The report claims that Huggins and UTSA may share interest, and contact has likely already been made. However, the troubled past of Huggins could call into question the legitimacy of the potential move. UTSA finished the 2023-24 season with a 11-20 record that included a 5-13 mark in American Athletic Conference play. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates. (Photo by WVU Athletics)

Two Head Coaches Have Already Turned Down WVU Job

Cover Photo: Luke Blain MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- Yesterday, the West Virginia Mountaineers dismissed Josh Eilert as the interim head coach of the program and director of athletics Wren Baker said that he would immediately begin a nationwide search for fill the position. Baker also said that the process would be deliberate but that he intended to have a new head coach in place as soon as possible and it appears that he is doing everything possible to make that happen. According to CBS Sports, Baker has already reached out to multiple head coaches about the position. In an article on CBS Sports today, it's stated that "Athletic director Wren Baker has taken some swings on a few sitting head coaches who have passed, and at least one who is still considering the option." The article goes on to say, "The search will be a tight one and fit is paramount." Yesterday, Baker met with the media and made it clear that the head coaching position at West Virginia is a great job and he would find the right person to take over the program. “I think it’s important that we have somebody, not necessarily that has ties to West Virginia, but that will come in and understand West Virginia and West Virginians,” Baker said. “We want somebody that’s committed to building a championship program on the court but also committed to building leaders off the court,” he said, “That’s really important that we’re helping young people grow and develop and get prepared for life.” "Because of the portal, there is an opportunity to have some early success, but I always encourage coaches to build the program and not a team," Baker said. "When you are onboarding a new coach, I think it's important that they get the culture right, they get their staff right and their systems right. You must have patience to allow them to grow into it. "There are coaches around the country who have more immediate success because of the portal, but there are still some it takes time. The portal will open on March 18, so there could be a pretty significant roster overhaul, but there has been in other programs as well," he added. "Hopefully, the results will come sooner rather than later, but they will come." "This is a great basketball job, I mean a really strong program," Baker pointed out. "We have tremendous tradition, and we've done it with multiple coaches over the years. We've got great facilities – certainly a top-10 or maybe a top-five basketball practice facility – and the Coliseum is an awesome venue." Although Baker is clearly interested in bringing in a top candidate to turn the basketball program around, it's clear that he will have tremendous competition from other programs who are also searching for a new head coach. Ohio State, Louisville, Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt are just a few of the many open jobs that West Virginia will have to compete against to attract top head coaches. However, like Baker said in his press conference yesterday, West Virginia is an outstanding position with excellent NIL, facilities and fans. https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1768379369867612313?s=20

Bob Huggins Responds To Critics

MORGANTOWN, WV - Former WVU Head Coach Bob Huggins has been under a plethora of scrutiny over the last 9 months. Since his ugly departure from West Virginia University, many fans and media members have aimed their dismay towards the 70-year old. Earlier today, prominent WVU Donor Ken Kendrick had some harsh things to say about Huggins in an interview with Hoppy Kerchival of SportsLine. https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1767970845094269332?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw   Huggins, who is no stranger to speaking his mind, fired back at Kendrick and his critics in a statement released this evening. https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1768096808377430505?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Here is what Huggins had to say: “Lots of folks asking for a response to recent comments about me. The only thing I'll say is I know my situation invites criticism, but I hope the strong opinions and judgments about me don't make anybody else out there feel ashamed in their own struggles. My home state of West Virginia gets kicked around a lot, but the truth is there's a problem in this state and so many others, and a lot of people suffer from addiction. If you're struggling with addiction and recovery, do not let the shamers get to you. I continue to learn from my mistakes. We all have our critics. Like me, you may be your own worst critic. But as we know well in West Virginia, pressure makes diamonds. Keep Pressing” To say that things are dicey within the WVU Men’s Basketball program at the moment would be a gargantuan understatement. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for any updates on the situation. (Photo by WVU Athletics) 

West Virginia’s Basketball Head Coach Wishlist

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- Now that Josh Eilert is out as the interim head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, Wren Baker will officially begin his search for the next head coach of the program. Baker said in his press release today that "we will move deliberately but as swiftly as we can in the days ahead." With that said, I have reason to believe that Baker already has a strong list of potential replacements already lined up. Here is who Baker has likely identified on his wishlist as potential candidates to take over the Mountaineers next season: 1 - Darian DeVries, Head Coach, Drake Why Darian DeVries?  DeVries, 48, is the current head coach at Drake University and has rocketed up the list over the last couple of weeks and is now considered one of the most desirable candidates for program's searching for a head coach. In his six seasons with the program, DeVires has put together an impressive 150-54 record (.735 winning percentage) and a 79-33 record in the tough Missouri Valley Conference. DeVries, a native of Aplington, Iowa, has led Drake to 4 NCAA Tournament appearances, a Missouri Valley Conference Championship in 2023 and 2024, and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2021. In other words, DeVries has been incredibly successful in a short period of time, and has proven that he can quickly turn a program around. In addition, DeVries’ son, Tucker DeVries, is a current player at Drake and is the two-time Missour Valley Conference Player of the Year, averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season while leading the Bulldogs to a 27-6 record this season. Tucker DeVries has two years of eligibility remaining and would almost certainly follow his father to Morgantown if he coaches the Mountaineers next season. With everything considered, Darian DeVries might just be the ideal candidate. 2 - Dusty May, Head Coach, Florida Atlantic University Why Dusty May? May, 47, is perhaps the hottest young coach in college basketball and will almost certainly be Wren Baker's top choice. However, May will be at the top of virtually every major program's wishlist, including Ohio State and Louisville, and West Virginia will have difficulty out-bidding these programs. Last season, May led Florida Atlantic to a 35-4 record and a trip to the NCAA Final Four. Florida Atlantic is 24-7 overall and 14-4 in conference play this season, and May, the reigning Conference USA Coach of the Year, is 125-67 (.651 winning percentage). Why Not Dusty May? There aren't a lot of negatives with May, but it's possible that he wouldn't stay in Morgantown permanently if a better job opened up, particularly if his alma mater Indiana Hoosiers came knocking. 3 - Pat Kelsey, Head Coach, College of Charleston Why Pat Kelsey? Kelsey is a high-energy guy who would be a terrific head coach at West Virginia. Kelsey, 48, has a 258-121 career record (.681) and led the College of Charleston to a 31-4 record last season. The College of Charleston is 24-7 overall and 15-3 in the Colonial Athletic Association, just won the CAA Championship. Why not Pat Kelsey? No Power 5 Conference experience. 4 - Mark Byington, Head Coach, James Madison Why Mark Byington? Wren Baker is a basketball guy and he reportedly believes that Mark Byington is just the right guy. Byington, 47, has a 218-136 (.616 winning percentage) during his 12 seasons as a head coach at the College of Charleston (2011-2012), Georgia Southern (2013-2020) and James Madison (2020-current). This season, the Dukes were 30-3 overall and 15-3 in the Sun Belt Conference, and had an impressive win on the road at then #4 ranked Michigan State on the first game of the season for both teams. James Madison won the Sun Belt Conference this season and Byington will make his first trip to the NCAA Tournament. Byington, a Salem, Virginia native, was named the CAA Coach of the Year in 2021 and according to a source, he's already had preliminary discussions with Wren Baker about the job. Although not the sexiest pick, the search firm that West Virginia University will use for the coaching search also works with Byington and is very, very high on him. Why not Mark Byington? The fanbase will view Byington as "another Neal Brown hire" since he is a Sun Belt coach and has no Power 5 Conference experience.   5 - Niko Medved, Head Coach, Colorado State Why Niko Medved? Medved, 50, has done a tremendous job of winning at smaller schools and has connections to West Virginia through his wife, whose father is a major donor and season-ticket holder. At Colorado State, Medved has a 110-70 record and was the Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 2017. Why not Niko Medved? No Power 5 coaching experience, underwhelming results, not seen as a sexy hire.

Ken Kendrick: “Bob Huggins Doesn’t Belong in the Lives of Young Men Who Deserve...

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- In an interview with MetroNews' Hoppy Kercheval on Talkline, West Virginia's top donor, Ken Kendrick, said that that Bob Huggins should not ever be considered as the head coach at West Virginia University again. Kendrick, the owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks major league baseball team and the co-founder of Country Roads Trust, said that West Virginia University way too soft in regards to its handling of Bob Huggins following his DUI arrest this past summer. “Bob Huggins has no place in the lives of young men who deserve quality leadership. I think WVU, in their handling of the Bob Huggins debacle, probably were too lenient with him," Kendrick told MetroNews. "Had he worked for me, he would have not had a job after he engaged in this vituperative series of homophobic remarks back in the spring and then was retained under very difficult circumstances and then lost his job as a result of a drunken stupor, I will call it,” Kendrick said. "It’s the second time he lost his job because of drunkenness," Kendrick said. "It may not be remembered by many, but it is by me. He was let go by Cincinnati for exactly the same reason. So I think he has no place in the lives of young men who deserve quality leadership. So I would be one who would wonder about the mental capacity of any leader of any university who would consider hiring him for a coaching position.” Kendrick went on to say, "Instead of being in the hall of fame, he should be in the hall of shame, to be blunt. Alcoholism is a disease, and he’s had that disease for a long time. His future with WVU sports is totally at an end. And anyone who would think he should be considered — I’d really question whether they ought to seek some counseling.”

Top WVU Donor Says Bob Huggins Belongs in the Hall of Shame

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- In an interview with MetroNews' Hoppy Kercheval on Talkline, West Virginia's top donor, Ken Kendrick, said that that Bob Huggins should not ever be considered as the head coach at West Virginia University again. Kendrick, the owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks major league baseball team and the co-founder of Country Roads Trust, said that West Virginia University way too soft in regards to its handling of Bob Huggins following his DUI arrest this past summer. “I think WVU, in their handling of the Bob Huggins debacle, probably were too lenient with him," Kendrick told MetroNews. "Had he worked for me, he would have not had a job after he engaged in this vituperative series of homophobic remarks back in the spring and then was retained under very difficult circumstances and then lost his job as a result of a drunken stupor, I will call it,” Kendrick said. "It’s the second time he lost his job because of drunkenness," Kendrick said. "It may not be remembered by many, but it is by me. He was let go by Cincinnati for exactly the same reason. So I think he has no place in the lives of young men who deserve quality leadership. So I would be one who would wonder about the mental capacity of any leader of any university who would consider hiring him for a coaching position.” Kendrick went on to say, "Instead of being in the hall of fame, he should be in the hall of shame, to be blunt. Alcoholism is a disease, and he’s had that disease for a long time. His future with WVU sports is totally at an end. And anyone who would think he should be considered — I’d really question whether they ought to seek some counseling.”

West Virginia Basketball Head Coach Hotboard, 2.0

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- Now that Josh Eilert is out as the interim head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, Wren Baker will officially begin his search for the next head coach of the program. Baker said in his press release today that "we will move deliberately but as swiftly as we can in the days ahead." With that said, I have reason to believe that Baker already has a strong list of potential replacements already lined up. Here is who Baker has identified as potential candidates to take over the Mountaineers next season: Favorite(s) 1A - Dusty May, Head Coach, Florida Atlantic University Why Dusty May? May, 47, is perhaps the hottest young coach in college basketball and will almost certainly be Wren Baker's top choice. However, May will be at the top of virtually every major program's wishlist, including Ohio State and Louisville, and West Virginia will have difficulty out-bidding these programs. Last season, May led Florida Atlantic to a 35-4 record and a trip to the NCAA Final Four. Florida Atlantic is 24-7 overall and 14-4 in conference play this season, and May, the reigning Conference USA Coach of the Year, is 125-67 (.651 winning percentage). Why Not Dusty May? There aren't a lot of negatives with May, but it's possible that he wouldn't stay in Morgantown permanently if a better job opened up, particularly if his alma mater Indiana Hoosiers came knocking. 1B - Darian DeVries, Head Coach, Drake Why Darian DeVries?  DeVries, 48, is the current head coach at Drake University and has rocketed up the list over the last couple of weeks and is now considered one of the most desirable candidates for program's searching for a head coach. In his six seasons with the program, DeVires has put together an impressive 150-54 record (.735 winning percentage) and a 79-33 record in the tough Missouri Valley Conference. DeVries, a native of Aplington, Iowa, has led Drake to 4 NCAA Tournament appearances, a Missouri Valley Conference Championship in 2023 and 2024, and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2021. In other words, DeVries has been incredibly successful in a short period of time, and has proven that he can quickly turn a program around. In addition, DeVries’ son, Tucker DeVries, is a current player at Drake and is the two-time Missour Valley Conference Player of the Year, averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season while leading the Bulldogs to a 27-6 record this season. Tucker DeVries has two years of eligibility remaining and would almost certainly follow his father to Morgantown if he coaches the Mountaineers next season. With everything considered, Darian DeVries might just be the ideal candidate. 2 - Mark Byington, Head Coach, James Madison Why Mark Byington? Wren Baker is a basketball guy and he reportedly believes that Mark Byington is just the right guy. Byington, 47, has a 218-136 (.616 winning percentage) during his 12 seasons as a head coach at the College of Charleston (2011-2012), Georgia Southern (2013-2020) and James Madison (2020-current). This season, the Dukes were 30-3 overall and 15-3 in the Sun Belt Conference, and had an impressive win on the road at then #4 ranked Michigan State on the first game of the season for both teams. James Madison won the Sun Belt Conference this season and Byington will make his first trip to the NCAA Tournament. Byington, a Salem, Virginia native, was named the CAA Coach of the Year in 2021 and according to a source, he's already had preliminary discussions with Wren Baker about the job. Although not the sexiest pick, the search firm that West Virginia University will use for the coaching search also works with Byington and is very, very high on him. Why not Mark Byington? The fanbase will view Byington as "another Neal Brown hire" since he is a Sun Belt coach and has no Power 5 Conference experience.   3 - Pat Kelsey, Head Coach, College of Charleston Why Pat Kelsey? Kelsey is a high-energy guy who would be a terrific head coach at West Virginia. Kelsey, 48, has a 258-121 career record (.681) and led the College of Charleston to a 31-4 record last season. The College of Charleston is 24-7 overall and 15-3 in the Colonial Athletic Association, just won the CAA Championship. Why not Pat Kelsey? No Power 5 Conference experience. 4 - Niko Medved, Head Coach, Colorado State Why Niko Medved? Medved, 50, has done a tremendous job of winning at smaller schools and has connections to West Virginia through his wife, whose father is a major donor and season-ticket holder. At Colorado State, Medved has a 110-70 record and was the Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 2017. Why not Niko Medved? No Power 5 coaching experience, underwhelming results, not seen as a sexy hire. 5 - Kyle Smith, Head Coach, Washington State Why Kyle Smith? Smith, 54, was just named the PAC 12 Coach of the Year, leading the Cougars to a 23-8 overall record and a 14-6 record in conference play, and he's made it clear that he wants to get out of the sinking PAC 12 Conference. Why not Kyle Smith? Overall, very underwhelming results during his career. Yes, Washington had a great season this year, but previously they were 16-16, 14-13, 22-15 and 17-17. 6 - Josh Schertz, Head Coach, Indiana State  Why Josh Schertz? Schertz, 48, is the 7 time South Atlantic Coach of the Year and the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, leading the Indiana State Sycamores to 26-5 record. In addition, he could potentially bring his star player, Robbie Avila aka Cream Abdul-Jabbar along with him. Why not Josh Schertz? A jump from Indiana State to the Big 12 Conference seems like a huge leap, and he spent most of his career at school named Lincoln Memorial. 7 - Dustin Kerns, Head Coach, Applachian State  Why Dustin Kerns? Kerns led the Mountaineers to a 26-5 record in the tough Missouri Valley Conference this season and has a 96-63 record overall in seven seasons at Presbyterian and Applachian State. Why not Dustin Kerns? Again, this seems like a huge leap to make for a...