Madness in Morgantown: West Virginia

After a First-Round exit in the NCAA Tournament, West Virginia experiences major madness within their program. After the legendary coach Bob Huggins resigned over a recent DUI incident, the Mountaineers attempt to find a new head coach. Unfortunately, madness occurs with this coaching search. 

West Virginia Mountaineers Coaching Search

The Issue with Beilein in Morgantown

West Virginia looked for John Beilein to be their new head coach. A  legendary coach at Michigan and West Virginia, Beilein seemed the suitable replacement in Morgantown. However, school boosters did not want Beilein back in Morgantown. The boosters, “went crazy” surrounding the potential hiring of Beilein. They “threatened” to pull funding and donations from the program if this hire went through. 

Furthermore, Mountaineer players threatened to transfer from Morgantown if they hired Beilein as the new head coach. Star forward Tre Mitchell already put his name in the transfer portal is “only the beginning.”

Now, there were concerns about his ability to not relate to younger players in Cleveland. Additionally, another problem was how well the older coach would handle the NIL/transfer portal as a head coach. Therefore, the program’s boosters and players want someone more familiar with NIL and younger players. 

Beilein is a successful coach in college, but his recent stint in Cleveland and the pushback from the players and boosters allowed the deal to be squashed. 

Who is Likely Hire for the Mountaineers

With all the Beilein rumors seemingly leading to no hire for the former coach, the Mountaineers have their eyes set on Jerrod Calhoun or Interim Josh Eilert. 

Who is Jerrod Calhoun?

Calhoun is the current head coach for Youngstown State, and Jerrod has a 90-90 record in his tenure. However, Calhoun is coming off arguably his best season with the program. They went 24-10, won the Horizon League Regular Season title, and got to the NIT Tournament First Round. He was on the West Virginia staff from 2007-2012, so he has experience in Morgantown. However, the challenge would be that Calhoun extended his contract in Youngstown after the season and keeping the Mountaineer squad intact. Calhoun is coming off a successful season, and has experience with the West Virginia program. It will be interesting to see if he does become the hire for West Virginia, and how that helps keep players on the team. Being a head coach during this different recruiting time in college basketball can help make Calhoun a strong candidate. 

The Case of Josh Eilert

While some believe Calhoun will be the likely next target for head coach, others are interested in Interim Josh Eilert. Tied with another assistant Ron Everheart, Eilert was an assistant coach with the Mountaineers this past season. Eilert has spent the last 15 seasons on the staff, and he and Everheart met with WVU officials on Thursday to discuss their future. One of the players talked about how they, “love him” and that gives momentum for a coach that has a connection with his players. Being an assistant under Huggins, Eilert understands the system, the NIL, and the transfer portal, and he relates to the current players on the team. With the roster in shambles due to the chaotic coaching situation, Eilert may be a good fit because of his recent experience in Morgantown. 

Last Words

It is not rocket science to know that it is chaotic in West Virginia right now. With the madness involving Beilein being put to bed, the Mountaineers can focus on getting an up-to-date candidate, and someone who can keep the roster intact for the upcoming season. Hopefully, this new hire can bring some positivity back to Morgantown. 

Andy Kennedy has also popped up as a name to keep an eye on. However, he seemed to shut down those rumors with a cryptic tweet stating his commitment to UAB.