2007-2008 WEST VIRGINIA SNAPSHOT

May 10, 2007


Head Coach: Bob Huggins
2006-2007 Record: 27-9 (9-7 Big East) NIT Champions

Returning Players:
Darris Nichols, Senior (Point Guard)
Jamie Smalligan, Senior (Center)
Joe Alexander, Junior (Forward)
Alex Ruoff, Junior (Guard)
Devan Bawinkel, Sophomore (Guard)
Da'Sean Butler, Sophomore (Guard)
Joe Mazzulla, Sophomore (Guard)
Wellington Smith, Sophomore (Forward)
Jonnie West, Freshman (Guard)
Cam Thoroughman, Freshman (Forward)
Jacob Green, Freshman (Center)

Incoming Players:
John Flowers (Forward)
Will Thomas (Guard)

Graduated Players:
Frank Young
Rob Summers

Open Items/Issues:
Obviously the big news surrounding the West Virginia program this spring is new coach Bob Huggins returning to his alma mater and replacing John Beilein as head coach. After leading the Mountaineers to the NIT championship after appearances in the NCAA Tournament's Elite 8 and Sweet 16, Beilein high-tailed it out of town quickly. However, not staying down long, West Virginia served notice that they were intent to stay among the top of the Big East by summoning former Cincinnati head coach Bob Huggins home, after he spent one season at Kansas State.

With Huggins coming to the Big East the conference has a new villain in town that everyone will love to hate. There is no denying that Huggins attracts his share of attention, much of it negative, and his bailing out on Kansas State after a year did have one prospective recruit (Patrick Patterson) questioning Huggins' word to recruits. Love him or hate him, Bob Huggins will win basketball games and he will do it his way.

West Virginia had a near-full roster returning with 12 scholarships accounted for when Beilein left. Huggins filled the last spot with Ohio guard Will Thomas this spring. Often, a new coach also ends up issuing releases to several players looking for new homes, but so far, everyone has remained on board at West Virginia.

Summary:
No team probably has ever returned so much yet will look so different. Bob Huggins' style of play is more athletic, physical and utilizes man-to-man defense and a determination to control the boards. That style of play contrasts nearly night and day to the system implemented and player recruited by John Beilein in his time in Morgantown. So, the question is, will Huggins adapt his scheme to fit the talent on hand or force feed his style and system upon the players?

My guess is he will give in a little to the talent he has, but they will be asked to play a style that they might not be form-fitted to. This is likely to cause some roster attrition down the line and with that, Huggins will hit the recruiting trail very aggressively in finding his kind of player. Of the returning roster I think Darris Nichols, Wellington Smith, Da'Sean Butler and Joey Mazzulla are capable of playing the physical and athletic style Huggins will prefer. Alex Ruoff and Joe Alexander might bring a little variety to the style and incoming recruit John Flowers is talented and athletic enough to adapt to any style of play. These players might not be able to get every little ounce out of their talent as they did under Beilein's system, but they will work hard and play unselfish under Huggins.

With the change in coaching, this is a tough team to pencil in for next season. They were one of the biggest surprises in the 2006-2007 season and the expectations will be higher in 2007-2008. Frank Young is a big loss as he was a player that relished the role of taking big shots and seemed to set the tone often for the Mountaineers. Da'Sean Butler looks to be next in-line and will be a very good player, but nobody else at this point stands out on the roster as the type of player to carry them in how Huggins will look to play. I think the adjustmen will have them playing at about the same level next year as they did this past season. They will be around .500 in the conference and, most likely, a strong NIT team. I think they will face a much tougher out of conference schedule as they will be a desired team for TV with Huggins on the sideline, but we will have to give the new coach a year or two to get his type of player in the system that will fit in the scheme Huggins knows best.

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