DeVries to WVU

[NorthCyd]

I'm truly shocked this happened. Absolutely floored. Seems like such an odd fit.

It's tricky knowing the right time to jump. If he truly has aspirations to jump to the next level he is flirting with staying too long at Drake. The fact it's his son's senior year makes this an ideal time to jump. The fit seems odd, but WVU is a good program with a lot of history and resources. Probably the best job remaining. A good coach can succeed there. Unfortunately he's following an extremely popular legend that went through a messy retirement, so he's got some headwind with the fanbase if he isn't successfull quickly.

 

[Halincandenza]

Good program with a good history in the best conference and good NIL. Will be interesting to see how he does. I’m guessing Tucker follows him.

 

[Al_4_State]

WVU's a better job than Iowa.

1) Premier program in it's state.
2) Better NIL than people realize.
3) Better fan support.
4) Better history this century.

 

[cykadelic2]

Could cost us J.R. Blount if he moves up to Drake HC.

Since Mizzou St has not already hired him, I am thinking Ben McCollum could the new HC at Drake.

And JR could be in play at Mizzou St.

 

[Pat]

I'm truly shocked this happened. Absolutely floored. Seems like such an odd fit.

It does have a whiff of Moser-to-OU. But if Devries was going to make the jump, this year was absolutely the time to do it. His stock will possibly never be higher, and IF he crashes and burns at WVU, he’ll never need to work again unless he wants to.

 

[Clonefan32]

Am I crazy for not thinking DeVries is that good of a coach? The Valley is weaker now than it ever has been and I don't think it's a coincidence his run has come after Loyola and Wichita State left. He's been fortunate to have his kid on the team who is clearly way too talented to be in the MVC. He's had some pretty epic collapses the last 2 NCAA tournaments.

Maybe he will work out, but I guess I'm not sold.

 

[JP4CY]

Am I crazy for not thinking DeVries is that good of a coach? The Valley is weaker now than it ever has been. He's been fortunate to have his kid on the team who is clearly way too talented to be in the MVC. He's had some pretty epic collapses the last 2 NCAA tournaments.

Maybe he will work out, but I guess I'm not sold.

Part of it is that they may need a "clean" restart on the program.

 

[Letterkenny]

Am I crazy for not thinking DeVries is that good of a coach? The Valley is weaker now than it ever has been. He's been fortunate to have his kid on the team who is clearly way too talented to be in the MVC. He's had some pretty epic collapses the last 2 NCAA tournaments.

Maybe he will work out, but I guess I'm not sold.

What he did at Drake was pretty impressive. It helped him that his son was a top 100 recruit. As with any mid-major coach that makes the move up, it will remain to be seen how good a coach he is.

 

[Clonefan32]

What he did at Drake was pretty impressive. It helped him that his son was a top 100 recruit. As with any mid-major coach that makes the move up, it will remain to be seen how good a coach he is.

Was it though? Again, the MVC is a bad, bad conference. UNI is a shell of what they used to be. Loyola is gone. The addition of Valpo and Murray State only diluted it further.

Who knows, maybe he's a good coach. But to me it all coincides with a league that got worse, and a player that has no business being in the MVC.

 

[Sigmapolis]

It's tricky knowing the right time to jump. If he truly has aspirations to jump to the next level he is flirting with staying too long at Drake. The fact it's his son's senior year makes this an ideal time to jump. The fit seems odd, but WVU is a good program with a lot of history and resources. Probably the best job remaining. A good coach can succeed there. Unfortunately he's following an extremely popular legend that went through a messy retirement, so he's got some headwind with the fanbase if he isn't successfull quickly.

Yes yes "never be the guy who follows the guy."

But there's the interim guy there to provide some buffer with the Huggins era.

If he does well at WVU... he could still be in line for the Creighton job when McDermott retires.

 

[twojman]

Part of it is that they may need a "clean" restart on the program.

So are trying to say Devries is dirty?

 

[NorthCyd]

Yes yes "never be the guy who follows the guy."

But there's the interim guy there to provide some buffer with the Huggins era.

If he does well at WVU... he could still be in line for the Creighton job when McDermott retires.

Eh, Eilert doesn't provide much of a buffer at all. No one ever thought he was going to be there long term. He was just a place holder because Huggy was fired too late to hire a replacement. DeVries is the true Huggy replacement, and it's not just a typical "guy who follows the guy" situation. What happened with Huggins was ugly and divisive. They just had a big time donor saying he would get Huggy back a few months ago. If DeVries comes in and succeeds quickly everything will be fine, but if DeVries struggles early he is going to get a lot of heat from an already angry fanbase.

 

[Letterkenny]

Was it though? Again, the MVC is a bad, bad conference. UNI is a shell of what they used to be. Loyola is gone. The addition of Valpo and Murray State only diluted it further.

Who knows, maybe he's a good coach. But to me it all coincides with a league that got worse, and a player that has no business being in the MVC.

Yes. They just had their best 3-4 year run since maybe the Maury John years in the late 60's. 4 straight second place conference finishes. They'd been a mid-level or bottom dweller in their conference since the 80's outside of that one Keno Davis team.

The league got worse, but they passed up a bunch of other programs, including UNI.

 

[JP4CY]

So are trying to say Devries is dirty?

The opposite. That Huggins was a trainwreck at the end and Devries is a clean/safe hire in that regards.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Iowa is going to rue the day they didn't lock DeVries down.

WVU is going to get back on the horse in the Big 12 quickly with a good coach.

They can reload. Having Tucker immediately helps a lot with that.

Oklahoma State, on the other hand, probably will take some time.

This actually might make it easier to hire DeVries a couple years from now. Fran was going to get the benefit of the doubt from EIU, the new AD will give him time to see what he can do with the young players they have and by keeping him around a couple more years, it drops his buyout down to half of what it is now.

If DeVries turns around WV, he would have done it in a power conference, thereby increasing his status in the coaching ranks. Plus, his son will be through playing making it easier to come back to EIU.

 

[twojman]

The opposite. That Huggins was a trainwreck at the end and Devries is a clean/safe hire in that regards.

Got, I misinterpreted it as Drake needed a clean start, thanks.

 

[Sigmapolis]

This actually might make it easier to hire DeVries a couple years from now. Fran was going to get the benefit of the doubt from EIU, the new AD will give him time to see what he can do with the young players they have and by keeping him around a couple more years, it drops his buyout down to half of what it is now.

If DeVries turns around WV, he would have done it in a power conference, thereby increasing his status in the coaching ranks. Plus, his son will be through playing making it easier to come back to EIU.

I don't see why DeVries would want to move from WVU to Iowa at that point, though.

Sort of a lateral move? Maybe just more $$$ with the Big Ten dollars? Why start over in Iowa City if you've got something going in Morgantown, a program with a solid basketball tradition?

I thought the going theory on here was his eventual goal was the Creighton job.

 

[Nolaeer]

1. WVU has been good in hoops post 2000 and had a run to the title game with Jerry West. Having the NBA logo means you have some tradition.

2. WVU had the 4th highest attendance this past year despite winning just 9 games. Fan support is an "A."

3. Oliver Luck and kendrick had, before the Huggins fiasco, put together the number 1 class in the transfer portal. WVU outbid kansas and other bluebloods for 1 player, and beat several good teams for others. Getting talent to WVU is easier now than it was before the NIL era.

4. Small town Iowa guy will feel he's still at home in Wva. you dont have much crime, drama, etc. most people dont even lock their doors. Great place to raise kids if you value traditional values, which was the major reason WVU hired him--he's a culture fit.

5. Huggins made over 4 million a year.

 

[CyHans]

Iowa not a better job

I want mad Fran to stay forever. Not only is he amusing to watch but he keeps them in mediocrity.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

I don't see why DeVries would want to move from WVU to Iowa at that point, though.

Sort of a lateral move? Maybe just more $$$ with the Big Ten dollars? Why start over in Iowa City if you've got something going in Morgantown, a program with a solid basketball tradition?

I thought the going theory on here was his eventual goal was the Creighton job.

You may be correct, if he can get it going at WV, then he stays there, but timing is everything in these moves, and if EIU was going to hire DeVries now was not the time. Not sure how long Mac wants to stay at Creighton, but I would guess the EIU job is going to be open in a couple of years.

90% of these jobs are lateral moves by level, going to EIU means that he is back in his home state, which some people would like to do, not all but many. I would think after WV his dream jobs would be Creighton then EIU, which job will open first? He also has to have success at WV to make any of that possible.