Roster management a different landscape for Huggins
West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins recognizes that he’s entering different times.
That’s especially true on the front of player development. Since the introduction of the transfer portal, the veteran head coach has seen a different landscape when it comes to simply recruiting freshmen and developing them over time like it used to be. Those days aren’t as common as they were.
“I don’t want to say they’re completely gone but it sure put a dent into it,” he said.
A big reason for that is the outside interference that players must deal with now. People are often showcasing to players how they’re not being used in the right way or a different style of play could be a better option or even name, image and likeness opportunities elsewhere.
“They can go in the portal and really choose the place that they want to go,” he said.
The transfer portal, which is a database that players can enter their names into when they elect to leave a school, can be a harsh reality.
Huggins has experienced that firsthand when guys have elected to enter their names into the portal without even explaining their reasoning or even informing him.
That has been a difficult pill to swallow for Huggins who has often prided himself on the bonds and connections that he forged with his players during his long, successful coaching career.
“They don’t even tell you they’re going in the portal and they don’t tell you why. They just get in the portal,” Huggins said.
That doesn’t mean it’s all bad news.
West Virginia used the transfer portal this off-season for the first time to lure three experienced seniors onto the roster, all of which are playing roles on the club. It will likely be the blueprint for future plans in recruiting as well to address concerns.
It's almost a necessity in today's climate and Huggins does understand that.
Still, it does make Huggins long for the days of watching his guys develop over time. He points to players like Logan Routt, a former walk-on that is now playing professionally, as an example of that.
“It’s not like we used to recruit guys and you know you get them and you thought you had them for a career and continue to work with them,” Huggins said.
It’s a different time for roster management but like anything else you must adapt. That is what Huggins is attempting to do although it is certainly a very different landscape.
“It’s hard. It’s a totally different ball game,” he said.
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