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Eilert’s very first objective: Assuring players WVU is best fit
Jun 26, 2023, 06:58 PM ET MORGANTOWN, W.Va.– Josh Eilert was patiently waiting to end up being a head coach, and he’s hoping West Virginia players will show the exact same quality and remain around now that he has actually been given a chance to run the program.Eilert was chosen as the interim guys’s basketball coach of the Mountaineers on Saturday night after spending 17 years on Bob Huggins’ personnels at Kansas State and West Virginia, consisting of as an assistant coach last season. It’s Eilert’s first head-coaching task, and he said he understood that his perseverance would some day pay off.Without mentioning his own team, Eilert stated today’s athletes might benefit from that technique.”I think that’s a lesson to all you young men out there: Do not leap ship even if you always see greener pastures, “he said Monday.Huggins resigned June 17, a day after his driving under the influence
arrest in Pittsburgh. Under NCAA guidelines, West Virginia’s players have a 30-day window to get in the transfer portal.Editor’s Picks 1 Related For one player, at least, Eilert’s message came far too late. Forward Tre Mitchell announced on Twitter that he was moving to Kentucky. Mitchell balanced nearly 12 points and 6 rebounds in his only season at West Virginia after moving from Texas.Eilert did get some great news when guard Kerr Kriisa, who moved from Arizona in April, stated Sunday on social media that he was withdrawing from the portal and staying.”The support and love that the Mountaineer fanbase has revealed me and this team in 2 months is unequaled,” Kriisa composed in a message that included a photo of him and
Eilert.”I feel so lucky to call Morgantown house. “Huggins had actually assembled probably one of the much better recruiting classes in the country from the website for next season. In addition to Kriisa, it included Syracuse center Jesse Edwards, Manhattan guards Jose Perez and Omar Silverio, and Montana State guard RaeQuan Battle.While taking out his best sales pitch, Eilert was reasonable about the challenge of keeping the roster intact.”These are 18 to 23 years of ages, “he said.”There’s a lot of unpredictability in their life today.
There’s a lot of choices in their life. The greatest message that I have and our personnel has is we appreciate them. We wish to reassure them that this is a terrific location for them.” Josh Eilert (ideal ), who changes Bob Huggins at West Virginia, stated at his initial news conference Monday that he won’t hesitate to reach outto the Hall of Popularity coach for suggestions. AP Photo/Kathleen Batten Eilert stated he understands if they want to look somewhere else, but he wants to advise the players they have something special and can turn things around.Eilert, who will be paid$ 1.5 million under a 10-month contract, still needs to create a personnel. The Mountaineers head to Italy for a series of exhibit games in August.Eilert and athletic director Wren Baker mentioned Huggins several times on their own during the news conference. Eilert said anyone who was going to follow Huggins on the bench was going to feel pressure.” I indicate, he is a Hall of Popularity coach,”Eilert stated.” I look at it as an opportunity. I’m delighted to reveal what I can do and what my staff can do and get them purchased in a tight spot.
“Eilert stated he plans to utilize much of Huggins’coaching principles, particularly on defense. He won’t hesitate to ask Huggins for recommendations.”He’s been a huge prominent part of my life, which’s not going to alter,”
Eilert stated.” If I need to reach out to him, I assure you that he’ll take my phone call. “Baker said the university had parallel tracks for employing an irreversible and interim coach before choosing the interim option made one of the most sense. “This is the 20th time that I have actually led a head coaching search, and for a range of factors, it was certainly the most complicated,” he said.And Baker doesn’t wish to have Huggins go unrecognized for his accomplishment.” We have already talked
about manner ins which we could potentially have him back to honor him at some time, “Baker stated.”Undoubtedly, that will occur.”-