Is it retirement time for Bob Huggins? At 69, the West Virginia coach has indeed submitted his resignation to his university following his arrest for drunk driving on Friday evening.
“My recent actions do not represent the values of the university or the leadership expected in this role. I let you all down, and I let myself down”wrote Bob Huggins in the press release announcing his decision. “I am solely responsible for my conduct and I sincerely apologize to the University community, especially to the student-athletes, coaches and staff of our program.”
On the side of the college, we explain to support the decision of Bob Huggins “so that he can devote himself to his health and his family”. For West Virginia, it may also be a partial relief, especially since the coach, in office since 2007, had recently seen his salary cut by a million dollars, with a three-game suspension, for having made homophobic comments during a radio broadcast.
Everything also suggested that the 2023/24 season would be Bob Huggins’ last year at the head of the Mountaineers, his contract then no longer being guaranteed. His arrest for driving while intoxicated therefore undoubtedly simply accelerated things, his recruits can nevertheless now decide to change universities.
In coaching since the mid-1970s, “Huggy Bear” has notably led the University of Akron (1984–1989), Cincinnati (1989–2005), Kansas State (2006–2007) and therefore finally West Virginia.
With his 935 wins (for 414 losses), he is in the Top 10 most successful coaches in NCAA history, and he even joined the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Despite his 26 participations in the “March Madness” and his two “Final Four”, the one who trained Nick Van Exel, Kenyon Martin, Danny Forston or Jevon Carter never obtained the university title.
