Eilert’s first goal: Assuring players WVU is best fit

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Josh Eilert was patiently ready to develop into a head coach, and he is hoping West Virginia gamers will present the identical trait and keep round now that he has been given an opportunity to run this system.

Eilert was chosen because the interim males’s basketball coach of the Mountaineers on Saturday night time after spending 17 years on Bob Huggins’ staffs at Kansas State and West Virginia, together with as an assistant coach final season. It is Eilert’s first head-coaching job, and he mentioned he knew that his perseverance would some day repay.

With out mentioning his personal group, Eilert mentioned at present’s athletes may benefit from that strategy.

“I feel that is a lesson to all you younger guys on the market: Do not leap ship simply since you all the time see greener pastures,” he mentioned Monday.

Huggins resigned June 17, a day after his drunk driving arrest in Pittsburgh. Beneath NCAA guidelines, West Virginia’s gamers have a 30-day window to enter the switch portal.

For one participant, at the least, Eilert’s message got here too late. Ahead Tre Mitchell introduced on Twitter that he was transferring to Kentucky. Mitchell averaged almost 12 factors and 6 rebounds in his lone season at West Virginia after transferring from Texas.

Eilert did get some excellent news when guard Kerr Crisiswho transferred from Arizona in April, mentioned Sunday on social media that he was withdrawing from the portal and staying.

“The help and love that the Mountaineer fanbase has confirmed me and this group in 2 months is unmatched,” Kriisa wrote in a message that included a photograph of him and Eilert. “I really feel so fortunate to name Morgantown dwelling.”

Huggins had assembled arguably one of many higher recruiting lessons within the nation from the portal for subsequent season. Along with Kriisa, it included Syracuse middle Jesse EdwardsManhattan guards Jose Perez and Omar Silverioand Montana State guard RaeQuan Battle.

Whereas pulling out his finest gross sales pitch, Eilert was reasonable concerning the problem of conserving the roster intact.

“These are 18 to 23 years outdated,” he mentioned. “There’s a number of uncertainty of their life proper now. There’s a number of choices of their life. The largest message that I’ve and our workers has is we care about them. We need to reassure them that it is a good spot for them.”

Eilert mentioned he understands in the event that they need to look elsewhere, however he needs to remind the gamers they’ve one thing particular and might flip issues round.

Eilert, who shall be paid $1.5 million underneath a 10-month contract, nonetheless has to place collectively a workers. The Mountaineers head to Italy for a sequence of exhibition video games in August.

Eilert and athletic director Wren Baker talked about Huggins a number of occasions on their very own throughout the information convention. Eilert mentioned anybody who was going to observe Huggins on the bench was going to really feel strain.

“I imply, he’s a Corridor of Fame coach,” Eilert mentioned. “I take a look at it as a possibility. I am excited to indicate what I can do and what my workers can do and get them purchased in in a tough state of affairs.”

Eilert mentioned he plans to make use of a lot of Huggins’ teaching rules, particularly on protection. He will not hesitate to ask Huggins for recommendation.

“He is been an enormous influential a part of my life, and that is not going to alter,” Eilert mentioned. “If I would like to achieve out to him, I promise you that he’ll take my telephone name.”

Baker mentioned the college had parallel tracks for hiring a everlasting and interim coach earlier than deciding the interim choice made probably the most sense.

“That is the twentieth time that I’ve led a head teaching search, and for a wide range of causes, it was definitely probably the most difficult,” he mentioned.

And Baker would not need to have Huggins go unrecognized for his accomplishment.

“We have now already talked about ways in which we may doubtlessly have him again to honor him in some unspecified time in the future,” Baker mentioned. “Undoubtedly, that can occur.”

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