Players: Huggins Equals Stability
April 07, 2007 09:21 PM | General
April 7, 2007
MORGANTOWN, W.V. – The uncertainty created when a coach leaves a program can stir up many different emotions. Excitement and anxiety comes from fans as they wonder who will be the next leader of their team. Athletic directors face the intense pressure of making a decision that will impact so many. For the players waiting in limbo, the emotional rollercoaster can be downright maddening.
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| New basketball coach Bob Huggins signs an autograph following his introductory press conference Friday afternoon at the WVU Coliseum.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
Such was the case in Morgantown this week as the WVU basketball program transitioned from John Beilein to native son Bob Huggins. The transition period lasted just a little more than 48 hours but for current players Jamie Smalligan, Joe Alexander, and Alex Ruoff -- on hand at Huggins’ introductory press conference Friday afternoon -- the two days seemed like an eternity.
“I’m very happy the process is over. The past couple nights I haven’t been able to sleep,” Ruoff said. “It has been up and down with a lot of sadness. I watched the assistant coaches clean out their office (Friday) and that was really tough and kind of tear-jerking. I am just happy that Coach Huggins is here and I can’t wait to play for him.”
Ruoff is relieved that a sense of stability has returned the program. He is also thrilled to have the chance to play for a coach that has amassed 590 wins over his career. Ruoff grew up rooting for the Cincinnati Bearcats when Huggins was the coach there.
“Once I found out it was going to be Coach Huggins I was really excited,” Ruoff said. “I got a phone call from him and I was kind of star-struck and I probably sounded like an idiot on the phone. I am looking forward to some stability emotionally.”
Ruoff is confident that his talents can transfer from Beilein’s motion offense to the more up-tempo pace that Huggins likes to play.
“I have a lot of faith and confidence in Coach Huggins. I trust he will take each of our talents and help us use them to the best of our abilities,” Ruoff said. “He really wants to be here and I know he will do a really good job.”
Alexander also is confident that his talents can shine under Huggins.
“I think after playing for Coach Beilein you can really do anything because he schooled us in the fundamentals,” Alexander said. “We can do the things to be successful in any system so I’m not worried about it at all.”
Alexander is pleased with the hire as well as how swift the process unfolded.
“I’m really happy that they got someone like Huggins,” Alexander said. “We were all very worried about what the future of the program was going to be and I think the administration did a really good job on such short notice.”
Adding the stability that comes from having a coach in place is the decision made by the players to stick together and continue their careers at West Virginia. According to all three players on hand Friday, nobody intends to leave at this point.
“I think this all shows that we really are a team that cares about one another because right from the get-go we decided we had to stick together,” Alexander said. “We’re a team -- not just a bunch of individuals. We want to win games and we decided the best way to do that is to stick together.”
Smalligan echoed the sentiments of most Mountaineer fans that are pleased to have the stability that comes from having a West Virginia native guiding the basketball program.
“Coach Huggins is more than happy to be here. He is ready to teach us and we are ready to learn. We want someone who sticks around here and that’s exactly what he is,” Smalligan said.
