Following the resignation of long-time coach Bob Huggins last week due to a DUI arrest, West Virginia University has appointed assistant coach Josh Eilert as interim head basketball coach for the upcoming season. Athletic Director Wren Baker explained that an internal hire was the most practical solution given the timing constraints of conducting a thorough search during the summer months.

Baker consulted with various basketball experts before making the decision, ultimately concluding that a broader search would be more feasible at the end of the 2023-24 season. This interim appointment allows the team to maintain stability and gives the players, who have a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal per NCAA regulations, a clearer picture of the program's leadership.

Eilert, 43, has a long history with Huggins, having worked alongside him since 2006, first as a graduate assistant at Kansas State and then joining him at West Virginia in 2007. He has held various positions within the Mountaineers program, including video coordinator and director of basketball operations, before becoming an assistant coach in 2022. Baker praised Eilert's integrity, work ethic, and deep involvement in the program, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the team.

Eilert expressed gratitude for the opportunity and acknowledged the significant influence Huggins has had on his career. He emphasized his commitment to the Mountaineers and his eagerness to build upon the program's rich history.

Other potential candidates for the head coaching position reportedly included UAB coach and former Huggins assistant Andy Kennedy, and former West Virginia and Michigan coach John Beilein.

Huggins, a Hall of Famer, coached at West Virginia for 16 years and also had a prior stint as an assistant coach at the university in the late 1970s. His recent resignation followed a DUI charge in Pittsburgh, where his blood alcohol content was reportedly over twice the legal limit. This incident followed a suspension and salary reduction earlier in the year for using a homophobic slur during a radio interview. Huggins has a history of DUI issues, having been fired from the University of Cincinnati after a similar incident and subsequent power struggle with the school's president.