MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — Under the current COVID-19 pandemic, West Virginia athletic director Shane Lyons hinted that future WVU coaching contracts could have shorter terms.
That could include the top three assistants for the WVU men’s basketball team, Larry Harrison, Ron Everhart and Erik Martin, whose current two-year deals are set to expire on June 30.
Facing a $5 million shortfall after the cancellations of the Big 12 and NCAA men’s basketball tournaments, the majority of the college baseball season, as well as smaller donation funds, Lyons said moving forward with contract negotiations with any WVU coach would likely be on a one-year basis.
“I can share that, when it comes to the coaches who are up for contracts, I don’t think we’re in a position to do any type of multi-year contracts as we go through this not knowing what the future will look like,” Lyons said.
All three of head coach Bob Huggins’ top assistants made more than $200,000 last season, putting them in a position for a 5% pay cut, according to Lyons’ announcement last week on WVU’s cuts to its athletic budget for its 2021 fiscal year.
While it’s not clear if any members of the basketball support staff were part of the 65-member athletic department workforce that was furloughed for 60 days beginning on May 24, Lyons confirmed that Huggins’ immediate assistants would remain on staff.
“Obviously everybody on that staff will be there,” Lyons said. “It’s just the multi-year contracts across the board is something we’ll have to take a look at.”
While a one-year deal for Huggins’ assistants may not be the most beneficial for the coaches’ immediate futures, it could put them in a position to renegotiate in 2021 when the school’s athletic revenues are closer to normal.
Much of that will depend on if WVU is able to play a full football season this year.
Lyons, as well WVU president Gordon Gee, have both said they expect to play football in the fall, although a portion of it may be without or a limited amount of fans in the stands.
The pay cuts Lyons announced are set to end on June 30, 2021.
“It could certainly go longer if there is no football season,” he said.
‘Act of God’ clause
It seems the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame had a bit of foresight in setting up next season’s men’s basketball game between WVU and Purdue.
The game is scheduled for Dec. 13, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
According the cancellation clause in the game’s contract, the Hall of Fame reserves the right to cancel the game without penalty for any legitimate concerns, including an “Act of God,” which the coronavirus pandemic could certainly fall under. The contract was signed by WVU and Purdue in Sept. 2019, about four months before the coronavirus hit the United States.
The Mountaineers and Boilermakers are both set to earn $50,000 for playing in the game. Both schools will handle their own travel costs.
WVU also earned $50,000 for playing against Ohio State in last season’s Cleveland Classic.
WVU is 1-7 all-time against Purdue, with the win coming on Jan. 16, 2011 in the Coliseum. Purdue has won the last two meetings.
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