Why it’s good WVU’s basketball programs had a much-needed ‘refresh’

In watching WVU’s basketball programs over the past week, something has become very clear to me.
Both Mountaineer programs are or will be benefitting from a fresh start. One, Mark Kellogg’s women’s program, already showed that. The way the Mountaineers battled top-seed Iowa, Caitlin Clark and (many would say) the officials in the NCAA tournament provided a jolt of excitement to the fanbase. It reminded me of a similar jolt when John Beilein took over WVU’s men’s program and upset Florida. Different result, same feel.
In hiring Kellogg, WVU athletic director Wren Baker showed that A) there need be no ties to the Mountain State, and B) unlike in the past, familiarity with the immediate surrounding recruiting territory isn’t necessary.
Of course, the reason is Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collectives, in WVU’s case Country Roads Trust, and the transfer portal. Also, Kellogg brought players from Stephen F. Austin like second-leading scorer Jordan Harrison. New men’s coach Darian DeVries is expected to bring his son, back-to-back MVC Player of the Year Tucker, with him to Morgantown.
Back in the day, I remember talking to former Marshall AD Mike Hamrick. He had been the AD at UNLV and was close to Doc Holliday, who earned a name recruiting Florida for WVU. He didn’t feel like Holliday was a fit in Vegas because Florida kids wouldn’t go to the desert. In Huntington, though, Holliday was a fit. He coached Marshall for years.
That thinking has gone by the boards. You can “fix it,” as Bob Huggins used to say, in an offseason with a strong NIL collective and a keen eye for the portal. WVU, in fact, had a very strong team set up before Huggins got in trouble and resigned.
Of course, WVU fans know the result, which is the reverse of how good things can happen. The Mountaineer men finished last of the expanded 14-team Big 12 this season at 9-23. They tied for No. 318 of 351 teams nationally in winning percentage under interim coach Josh Eilert, who we all agree was dealt an awful hand.
My first thought afterward was to make another run at Beilein, now with the Detroit Pistons. He went to two national titles with Michigan and is a terrific coach and person.
But, yeah, the hire of DeVries, especially considering Kellogg’s performance, has convinced me Baker’s fresh start is probably the way to go.
WVU fans certainly agree. In a poll on X, I asked Mountaineer Nation if they were fired up about the men’s hire. Eighty percent of 815 votes said yes – and many others said they hit the wrong button because I had ‘No’ above ‘Yes’ on the poll. (I did not know there was such protocol.)
I know some – certainly not Ken Kendrick – felt Huggins should be given another shot. Huggins could point to the collection of players put together before they scattered after his trouble.
Yet there was the trouble. And there were many ups and downs in the prior five years.
During Huggins’ last five years, WVU made the NCAA tournament twice. In 2023, WVU lost in the first round to Maryland. In 2021, the Mountaineers beat Morehead State, but lost to Syracuse. Probably the best team in that stretch came in 2020, but the postseason was wiped out by Covid.
And there were struggles within the Big 12. In 2022-23, WVU finished eighth of 10 teams at 7-11 in conference play. In 2021-22, the Mountaineers finished last of 10 teams (4-14 in conference; 16-17 overall). In 2018-2019, they finished last of 10 at 4-14 (overall 15-21).
You’ll never get me to argue against Huggins’ success because there was a ton. In that span there were two third-place league finishes. I was on the sidelines for the 2010 Final Four. His WVU teams brought much joy through the years.
I’m simply saying, yeah, it’s probably time for this refresh. We saw what it could do on Monday night when WVU’s women’s team fought to the end at Iowa. We saw the pride Mountaineer fans exhibited afterward.
Here’s hoping for the same success now for new coach Darian DeVries.
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Mitch Vingle covered sports in West Virginia for 38 years. Follow Mitch on Twitter at @MitchVingle and be sure to check out the rest of Wheelhouse Creative’s website for your marketing and advertising needs. If interested, call us at 304-905-6005.