West Virginia building for the future despite uncertainty
West Virginia head coach Josh Eilert and his assistants haven’t blinked when it comes to recruiting.
Yes, nothing is guaranteed for Eilert or his four assistant coaches beyond this coming season but none of them are approaching the task that way.
Instead, the focus has been on trying to target and recruit for the future because each of them believes that this isn’t going to be a one-year arrangement.
“We’re going to keep recruiting and put ourselves in position to have this job in a year,” Eilert said.
That has been evident by the Mountaineers accepting one commitment from PHHoenix Prep (Az.) guard Carmelo Adkins and hosting a number of high level 2024 and 2025 prospects on visits in recent weeks. This staff hasn't been recruiting like one that believes that they will be here for only one season.
And it comes down to transparency.
Related: WVU basketball interviews: Post-game Jax State 2023
“It’s what we are. It’s what we’re doing here. What we’re aiming to do is to extend and be here and extend this culture. This is who we are,” assistant Alex Ruoff said.
As part of that the Mountaineers are selling things such as player development, the coaching staff, the fan base and the support of the state. Each of those are selling points to recruits in any cycle, although the picture is clearer to those in 2025 and 2026 group that will have a resolution on their status.
“All the recruiting is still the same but that’s just easier because those kids are going to know,” he said.
Ruoff, who is entering his first year as an assistant at the college level, has taken some of the things that stood out to him when he was a player and applied it to his own recruiting tactics. When Ruoff was recruited by head coach John Beilein, he remembered the hand-written letters.
He’s incorporated that into his own strategy.
West Virginia is planning a future even with the cloud of uncertainty hanging over them and are selling the role, resources, culture and program to combat any of the other issues.
“I plan on being here. Our assistants, we have a great group of young assistants and we’re building a culture. We plan on being here,” Eilert said.
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