West Virginia an attractive opening for potential candidates

West Virginia Athletic Director Wren Baker has an unexpected challenge in front of him. Well, at least in terms of the timing.

Bob Huggins is out as the men’s basketball coach after a pair of off-season incidents led to his resignation.

The latest being Huggins charged with DUI in Pittsburgh that led to his decision to step down just a day later opening up a big vacancy in the athletic department.

Baker, who was hired in December, is getting used to the unexpected in the position after filling the women’s basketball leadership with Mark Kellogg following the sudden departure of Dawn Plitzuweit.

But there is no sugarcoating that this vacancy is a significant one considering the cache that Huggins had and what’s on the line both in the short-term and long-term for the basketball program.

Baker has consistently said since being selected for the position that he keeps a short list of candidates at all times for the head coaching jobs under his umbrella. And that is going to be put to the test here as the Mountaineers are going to need a quick, efficient process that mirrors the one that Baker used to fill the women’s basketball program.

The timing certainly isn’t ideal given the fact it has already passed the mid-way point of June and this was entirely unexpected. But it would be foolish to assume that Baker and the administration weren’t at least prepared on the surface just in case after Huggins contract was adjusted in May.

The challenge now is not only finding the right fit but balancing that with what the Mountaineers have on the current roster.

This isn’t a program that was expected to just compete this season or was rebuilding in any form. No, the basketball program acquired one of the top transfers classes in the nation along with returning almost every single piece that had eligibility left from last season that the coaches wanted to retain.

Obviously those players now have decisions to make on their futures and if they will elect to ban together in Morgantown or look at alternative options with an extended 30-day transfer window in-place due to the resignation of Huggins.

According to sources, Baker has stressed patience with the players but as expected there is uncertainty on the situation and a need for direction.

As for the position itself, the head coach of West Virginia has a lot to offer. It’s the premier program in the state and has both the rabid fan support and lucrative NIL collective to attract major talent.

Combine that with being in the Big 12 Conference, the nation’s top league that has committed to basketball in many ways, and it’s certainly a very attractive opening for potential coaches.

As for a timeline on a resolution that isn’t quite clear just yet but things will need to move fast in order to try to maintain the current roster. Now, all indications are that Baker plans to look at a long-term option instead of a short-term fix which means this will be a national search.

That doesn’t rule out those in the program or connected, but like the previous hire Baker will guide this ship in the direction that he wants it to go in order to fill the need.

It’s another early challenge in the tenure of Baker in Morgantown but exactly the type of situation that he was brought in to successfully navigate.

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