West Virginia Basketball: Pros and cons of reported head coaching candidates

The college basketball offseason was shaken up in a major way when West Virginia Basketball head coach Bob Huggins was forced to step down after multiple off-the-court issues in the past month. He was one of the all-time wins leaders in the sport and took the program to numerous NCAA Tournament appearances and runs.

The sudden demise of Huggins opened up the job for the Mountaineers in late June, not an optimal time for a coaching search. However, this is a quality job for a Big 12 program that reportedly has the resources needed to succeed going forward.

It’s just been a few days but Athletic Director Wren Baker doesn’t have too much time to make a move. The roster is filled with talented players that have already transferred before and thanks to a new NCAA rule that opens up a 30-day window after a coaching change, could easily enter the portal and potentially deplete the roster for whoever gets the gig.

At the beginning of the coaching search, a number of names have reportedly been brought up. Some that haven’t include former West Virginia Basketball assistant and current Boston Celtics head coach Joe Muzzulla and Jeff Boals of the Ohio Bobcats. However, other current D-I head coaches have been linked so far.

There seem to be eight names that remain in the running, with some more of a viable option than others. Based on what we know about the coaches involved and their strengths and weaknesses, here’s another look at who the Mountaineers are reportedly after, taking a pros-and-cons approach from all sides.