Ranking the Top Five Candidates for the West Virginia Coaching Job
West Virginia should have a pretty quick coaching search, considering Wren Baker has been in this exact position each of the last two years. If you remember, he conducted an accelerated search following the resignation of Bob Huggins before going with Josh Eilert as the interim.
There are several names being linked to WVU, but there are five, in my mind, who separate themselves from the rest of the pack. Please note, that these coaches are not listed in order of likelihood of landing the job. This is purely based on coaching talent and fit.
No. 5: Alan Huss (High Point)
He’s not the most experienced coach on this list, but what he’s done in two years as the lead man at High Point is impressive. Huss has posted the two best seasons in the history of the program with 27 and 29 wins and led the team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.
Huss, like former WVU head coach Darian DeVries, comes from the Doug McDermott coaching tree. He spent six years and some change on his staff at Creighton before taking his first head coaching job.
No. 4: Ryan Odom (VCU)
Odom took over a UMBC program that was in really bad shape. How bad? Well, in the seven years before his arrival, they failed to reach 10 wins in a single season. In his first year on the job, he won 21 games – one more win than the three previous seasons combined. In year two, the Retrievers won 25 games, made the NCAA Tournament, and became the first-ever No. 16 seed to upset a No. 1 seed.
He took the Utah State job in 2021 and in two years there, went 44-25 with a tournament appearance. In two years at VCU, he’s 52-20 and has the Rams back in the dance. Considering the places he’s coached, having four 24+ win seasons is remarkable.
No. 3: Chester Frazier (West Virginia)
There are only a handful of potential returning players on West Virginia’s roster, so it’s not like it would be the end of the world if the roster starts over from scratch. But there are a few key guys I’m sure the next coach would like to keep and Frazier, having already been on the job, would likely be able to get the job done.
Frazier is overdue for his first opportunity as a head coach and can recruit at a high level. His lack of head coaching experience is the only thing keeping him from being No. 2 on this list.
No. 2: Jerrod Calhoun (Utah State)
For those who feel strongly about having a guy with West Virginia ties, this is your man. While Calhoun is a native of East Liverpool, Ohio, he’s spent time on the WVU staff under Bob Huggins, was the head coach at Fairmont State, and has a deep appreciation and understanding of the passion this fanbase has.
Calhoun won big at Fairmont State, turned around a brutal situation at Youngstown State, and is having a successful first season at Utah State, earning the highest seed of any Mountain West team in the NCAA Tournament.
No. 1: Ben McCollum (Drake)
While I believe there is some momentum with Jerrod Calhoun, I do believe McCollum is the best coach that is in the mix, so that’s why we’re sticking him at No. 1. Not to mention, he does have the tie to Wren Baker, whom he worked with at Northwest Missouri State – a place where he won four Division II national titles.
McCollum led the Bulldogs to a 30-win season in his first year on the job and has a roster made up of transfers, many of whom are from Division II. While he would be making a move after one year at a job (if hired), he’s not someone that you would worry about pulling a Darian DeVries. The preexisting strong relationship with Baker, along with the resources in place, would be enough to keep him in Morgantown. Not to mention, he stayed at the Division II level longer than he should have.
