Four coaches in four years.
The West Virginia basketball program has long been home to long-tenured coaches. Not withstanding the Dan Dakitch “era”, coaches Catlett, Beilein and Huggins each had significant tenures.
But that changed with the self-combustion of Bob Huggins.
What has followed since has seen a program where undermining parties have continued to riddle a program desperately trying to regain its program footing.
The late in the cycle dismissal of Huggins left AD Baker with few good options.
The rather obvious one included Beilein returning to Morgantown but again, there were obstacles introduced by said opponents and that didn’t take place.
So we in essence forfeited a year while looking for the perfect long-term hire.
DeVries seemed like the answer and despite the horrible finish, most were excited about his stewardship and ready to see season two.
We all know what happened and certainly I’m not about to defend the way he left or conducted himself or his son’s situation. But did the lacking NIL that he was promised - which obviously cost us a top-tier big - have a role in his hasty exodus?
Now we have a reported acrimonious relationship between the AD and key donors that may serve to undermine that same NIL that is now the lifeblood of the program in this new era.
If this situation is not remedied and WVU cannot get its relatively small stable of financial benefactors to support the program, more chaos and disappointment may be in the offing - despite what most consider another good Baker hire.
The West Virginia basketball program has long been home to long-tenured coaches. Not withstanding the Dan Dakitch “era”, coaches Catlett, Beilein and Huggins each had significant tenures.
But that changed with the self-combustion of Bob Huggins.
What has followed since has seen a program where undermining parties have continued to riddle a program desperately trying to regain its program footing.
The late in the cycle dismissal of Huggins left AD Baker with few good options.
The rather obvious one included Beilein returning to Morgantown but again, there were obstacles introduced by said opponents and that didn’t take place.
So we in essence forfeited a year while looking for the perfect long-term hire.
DeVries seemed like the answer and despite the horrible finish, most were excited about his stewardship and ready to see season two.
We all know what happened and certainly I’m not about to defend the way he left or conducted himself or his son’s situation. But did the lacking NIL that he was promised - which obviously cost us a top-tier big - have a role in his hasty exodus?
Now we have a reported acrimonious relationship between the AD and key donors that may serve to undermine that same NIL that is now the lifeblood of the program in this new era.
If this situation is not remedied and WVU cannot get its relatively small stable of financial benefactors to support the program, more chaos and disappointment may be in the offing - despite what most consider another good Baker hire.
