Maroon87
04-05-2007, 03:46 PM
Jeff Goodman / FOXSports.com
Bob Huggins is returning to West Virginia.
The Kansas State head coach, who took over the program a year ago, has reached a tentative agreement to coach the Mountaineers, according to sources close to the situation.
Huggins is expected to get on a plane and fly to Morgantown later today. A news conference is slated for Friday.
Huggins met with representatives from West Virginia in Ohio in the past few days — after John Beilein left for Michigan. He returned to Manhattan on Wednesday night and reached the decision to leave Kansas State for West Virginia. He then met with the president and athletic director at Kansas State and while he was torn with the decision, he has decided to return home.
Huggins, 53, was born in Morgantown and played at West Virginia. He was also a graduate assistant at the school.
Huggins was passed over last time the job opened — partially because West Virginia president David Hardesty Jr., was not a Huggins supporter. Hardesty is retiring in September and does not have much — if at all — to do with the hiring this time around.
A new president will likely be selected in the next two weeks.
This decision wasn't about money.
Huggins was hired by Kansas State athletic director Tim Weiser a year ago and Huggins felt some loyalty because Weiser and the administration has been good to him — after he was fired at Cincinnati.
Kansas State finished 23-12 and made it to the NIT this past season and were expected to be even better next year. Athletic forward Bill Walker is scheduled to return from a torn ACL and Huggins was also set to add one of the most talented players in the country, forward Michael Beasley, along with point guard Jacob Pullen — a critical piece of the team because of his toughness and ability to run a team.
It's unclear whether Beasley and Walker will try to follow him to West Virginia. Beasley would have to be let out of his letter-of-intent while Walker would have to sit out a year due to transfer rules.
Jeff Goodman is a senior college basketball writer for FOXSports.com. He can be reached at GoodmanonFOX@aol.com.
Bob Huggins is returning to West Virginia.
The Kansas State head coach, who took over the program a year ago, has reached a tentative agreement to coach the Mountaineers, according to sources close to the situation.
Huggins is expected to get on a plane and fly to Morgantown later today. A news conference is slated for Friday.
Huggins met with representatives from West Virginia in Ohio in the past few days — after John Beilein left for Michigan. He returned to Manhattan on Wednesday night and reached the decision to leave Kansas State for West Virginia. He then met with the president and athletic director at Kansas State and while he was torn with the decision, he has decided to return home.
Huggins, 53, was born in Morgantown and played at West Virginia. He was also a graduate assistant at the school.
Huggins was passed over last time the job opened — partially because West Virginia president David Hardesty Jr., was not a Huggins supporter. Hardesty is retiring in September and does not have much — if at all — to do with the hiring this time around.
A new president will likely be selected in the next two weeks.
This decision wasn't about money.
Huggins was hired by Kansas State athletic director Tim Weiser a year ago and Huggins felt some loyalty because Weiser and the administration has been good to him — after he was fired at Cincinnati.
Kansas State finished 23-12 and made it to the NIT this past season and were expected to be even better next year. Athletic forward Bill Walker is scheduled to return from a torn ACL and Huggins was also set to add one of the most talented players in the country, forward Michael Beasley, along with point guard Jacob Pullen — a critical piece of the team because of his toughness and ability to run a team.
It's unclear whether Beasley and Walker will try to follow him to West Virginia. Beasley would have to be let out of his letter-of-intent while Walker would have to sit out a year due to transfer rules.
Jeff Goodman is a senior college basketball writer for FOXSports.com. He can be reached at GoodmanonFOX@aol.com.