MORGANTOWN — Bob Huggins made a public statement Monday concerning his future at WVU, in it the Hall-of-Famer refutes the last statement that was made in his name by the school and said he’s the rightful men’s basketball coach.
On June 17, WVU released a statement from Huggins that effectively announced his resignation from the university following a DUI arrest in Pittsburgh the day before.
It read in part: “Today, I have submitted a letter to President Gordon Gee and Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker informing them of my resignation and intention to retire as head men’s basketball coach at West Virginia University effective immediately.”
According to Huggins’ statement on Monday: “I did not draft or review WVU’s statement. This false statement was sent under my name, but no signature is included.”
Huggins went on to say he believes he is still employed by WVU, even though the school hired Josh Eilert on June 24 to replace him for the 2023-24 season.
“I am employed by WVU pursuant to an Employment Agreement,” Huggins’ statement said. “I never submitted the notice required under the Employment Agreement to voluntarily resign.”
Last week, Ohio-based attorney David A. Campbell sent a letter to WVU Presdient E. Gordon Gee suggesting the school reinstate Huggins or else face a lawsuit.
“Now that I have obtained counsel to review the Employment Agreement and have seen WVU’s comments about my current status, it is clear that WVU did not handle the situation appropriately,” Huggins said. “More importantly, the basketball program is in need and I have a strong desire to conclude my career as the Head Basketball Coach for the program that I love. I hope to meet with WVU in the near future to resolve this situation.”
In other Huggins-related news, his DUI case in Pittsburgh has become eligible for Pennsylvania’s Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD), a story that was first reported by MetroNews.
The ARD is a state law in Pennsylvania that allows first-offense DUI cases — Huggins’ 2004 DUI case in Cincinnati does not apply, since it was in Ohio — to be dismissed and the record of the arrest expunged if the defendant completes the program.
The ARD is a 12-month process in which the offender does not usually serve any jail time. The process can be terminated in half that time if all conditions are met.
Among those conditions, Huggins will have to complete an approved “Alcohol Highway Safety School” class that requires at least 12 1/2 hours of attendance.
Huggins will also have to receive court-appointed alcohol treatment and assessment, will have his driver’s license suspended for 60 days and have to pay all court costs assessed to him.
Huggins was arrested on the evening of June 16 and charged with a DUI. His blood-alcohol level was registered at 0.21%, nearly three times Pennsylvania’s legal limit of 0.08%.
Huggins’ arraignment on the DUI charge is set for Aug. 17, in which the ARD conditions will likely be discussed, according to MetroNews.
In Huggins’ statement Monday, he again apologized for his mistake made in Pittsburgh, and that he had voluntarily entered a “world-class rehabilitation center and I intend to remain in the center until I am cleared to return to my active coaching duties.”
Huggins’ also addressed the meeting he had on June 17 with his players.
“I met with my players on June 17, 2023 and let them know the truth — that I did not know what would happen to me, but that if I was not their coach, I was hoping that I would be replaced by a coach that I recommended to WVU,” Huggins said. “Most importantly, whether I was staying or not, I was encouraging the players to stay at WVU.”
Five players have transferred from WVU since June 17.
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