West Virginia has a new head men’s basketball coach in Ross Hodge.
And while the leader of the football program Rich Rodriguez hasn’t met him yet, he does have an idea of what Hodge has been about during his career.
“I know he’s a winner. He’s won wherever he’s gone,” Rodriguez said.
Hodge has gone 46-23 in two-seasons atop the North Texas basketball program with his team having a chance to add to that total April 1 in the National Invitational Tournament Final 4 against UC Irvine.
He had served six seasons before being tabbed to lead the Mean Green as the associate head coach there and also has stints as an assistant at Arkansas State, Colorado State and Southern Mississippi.
But prior to his time at the Division I level, Hodge had highly successful stints at the junior college level going 146-24 over five seasons at Paris JC and Midland College, including a national runner-up in his final season before making the leap to being a Division One assistant.
Hodge has become known for his team’s grittiness and workman-like effort on the defensive end, along with a deliberate but efficient pace on the opposite end of the floor. That toughness and effort is something that should play well with the people of West Virginia.
It’s the same qualities that Rodriguez considers non-negotiable with his football team.
"I don't want one person to buy a season ticket to a Mountaineer game and sit in those stands and watch somebody be soft or somebody be lazy. Not one. Not one fan, because they can see that if you're doing that,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez has the benefit of growing up in the Mountain State, playing at the school and coaching the program twice and was able to offer a lay of the land when asked about Hodge.
“I think I can speak to what kind of people live in this state. The blue collar, hard-working, underdog mentality that can do anything and just want people to give them respect,” Rodriguez said. “I think he’ll - from what I understand, he’ll already understand that and fit in greatly with us.”
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