"Arrr, mateys! West Virginia hoops be settin' sail with Josh Eilert at the helm, aye, after Cap'n Huggins walked the plank!"
2023-06-24
"Arrr, me hearties! Word be spreading that West Virginia's First Mate, Josh Eilert, be takin' the helm as interim coach after Cap'n Bob Huggins has set sail fer parts unknown. Let's hope he don't lead us on a wild goose chase, or we'll make him walk the plank!"
Arrr, it seems that ol' Bob Huggins, the head coach of West Virginia basketball, had to step down after being caught drinkin' and drivin'. The athletic director, Wren Baker, announced that Josh Eilert, an assistant coach, would be takin' over as the interim coach. This be Eilert's first head coaching opportunity. According to NCAA rules, players have a month to decide if they want to enter the transfer portal, but Eilert could be the one to keep the team together.Baker explained that it made more sense to choose an internal candidate for the interim position due to the difficulty of conducting a broad search during the summer. Although Baker spoke to knowledgeable basketball people around the country, conducting the search in late June was difficult for many candidates and put the student-athletes at a disadvantage. The national search will be conducted at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Huggins was head coach for 16 years and was charged with driving under the influence in Pittsburgh last June. He believed he was in Columbus, Ohio at the time. Huggins was also suspended for three games, received a $1 million salary reduction, and sensitivity training for using a homophobic slur during an interview with a Cincinnati radio station. He was fired a year later amid a power struggle with the school's president and the aftermath of his DUI arrest. Huggins entered the Basketball Hall of Fame last September, and in 41 seasons, his teams have gone to 25 NCAA Tournaments.