DeVries Irish Goodbye
written by : @intoxicatedEER
Well, folks, it’s official–Darian DeVries has pulled the ultimate ‘Irish Goodbye’ on West Virginia. After one measly season in Morgantown, the guy who was supposed to be the Mountaineers’ basketball savior has packed his bags and bolted for Bloomington to take the Indiana Hoosier job. One year. One damn year. You can almost hear the collective “F you” echoing through the hills of West Virginia as fans try to process entering their third coaching search in 24 months.
Look, I get it. Indiana’s a blue-blood gig. Assembly hall, Bob Knight’s ghost, and a fat NIL war chest—it’s the kind of job that makes a coach drool. Especially a coach born and raised in the Midwest. But come on, man. You don’t get to play the wholesome, aw-shucks Midwesterner card for a year, build up hope in a state that lives and breathes Mountaineers, and then bounce the second a shinier toy comes along. That’s not loyalty that you “instill” into your coaching philosophy. That’s just a guy chasing a bigger paycheck and a fancier ZIP code. Word on the street is that WVU nearly doubled his salary for his extension, which would’ve increased his buyout, making him a Mountaineer for life. DeVries couldn’t fathom being one of the richest guys in the state of WV and bolted.
The timing couldn’t be worse. West Virginia was this close to an NCAA Tournament bid this year–19-13, 10-10 in the Big 12, and a roster that showed real promise despite Tucker missing most of the season with an injury. (yeah right) Sure, they got snubbed by the committee, but the foundation was there. DeVries had the Mountaineers playing tough, scrappy ball, and fans were starting to believe again after the Bob Huggins era imploded. Now? It’s back to square one. Fourth rebuild in four years. Tucker is gone too—obviously he’s not sticking around Morgantown without Dad here to call the shots. Oh, and the well-talented 2025 recruiting class? Kiss that good-bye, unless AD Wren Baker works some miracle voodoo. Which I have full faith in Wren doing.
Speaking of Wren Baker, give that man a wealthy raise and a Xanax. He’s been on the job for 28 months and is looking for his sixth coaching hire within the University.
(Kellogg, Rich Rod, Sabins, DeVries, Eilert)
The guy is out here playing coaching carousel whack-a-mole while DeVries is sipping coffee in Bloomington, probably laughing about ‘allegedly’ conning another season out of his son for Indiana. Baker’s statement after the news dropped was pure PR gold: “We have an outstanding basketball tradition with some of the most loyal and passionate fans in college basketball.” Translation: “Get behind me, I’m doing the best I can here.” And we definitely should get behind that guy, he’s brought this University to new heights and will continue to do so.
Mountaineer fans deserve better than what DeVries did, and in the long run will benefit much more after his back-stabbing exit. They’re the kind of fans who’ll brave a blizzard to pack the Coliseum, who’ll tailgate with moonshine and a prayer, who’ve stuck with this program through thick and thin. And what do they get? A coach who treated Morgantown like the rest stop on the way to his “dream job.” Screw that. Good riddance, Darian. Hope the Hoosiers enjoy your fake humility—WVU is ready to move on and find someone who actually wants to be here.
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