The end of an era has come.
Bob Huggins has resigned as West Virginia’s men’s basketball coach in the wake of his arrest on Friday night for allegedly driving under the influence.
Huggins announced his resignation in a statement released on Saturday night in which he said “my recent actions do not represent the values of the University, or the leadership expected in this role … I have let all of you — and myself — down.”
A source told ESPN’s Jeff Borzello that Huggins informed his players of his looming resignation in a team meeting on Saturday.
“I am solely responsible for my conduct and sincerely apologize to the University community — particularly to the student-athletes, coaches and staff in our program,” Huggins wrote in his statement. “I must do better, and I plan to spend the next few months focused on my health and my family so that I can be the person they deserve.”
The Mountaineers are expected to conduct a national search for the school’s next coach, sources said, and internal candidates will be considered.
Huggins was arrested in Pittsburgh after police observed a black SUV blocking traffic just before 8:30 p.m. Friday. The vehicle had a “flat and shredded tire”, and the driver’s side door was open.
After directing the driver, identified as Robert Huggins, 69, of Morgantown, West Virginia, to move the vehicle off the road, officers observed Huggins having trouble maneuvering the SUV and pulled him over. The officers questioned Huggins and, believing he was intoxicated, asked him to perform field sobriety tests, which he failed.
According to the police report, a breathalyzer test determined that Huggins’ blood alcohol content was 0.21%, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08% in Pennsylvania. A blood sample was also taken from Huggins at a hospital prior to his release.
The arrest came less than two months after Huggins used an anti-gay slur in an interview with a Cincinnati radio station.
There were already glaring signs that the 2023-24 season would be the final one for Huggins. Along with receiving a $1 million salary reduction and a three-game suspension in the aftermath of his use of the slur, Huggins was essentially given a contract that is guaranteed for only a year.
Huggins, a Morgantown native who played for the Mountaineers in college, has coached at his alma mater since 2007 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September. He has guided the Mountaineers to 11 NCAA tournament appearances, including a Final Four in 2010. Huggins spent one season with the Kansas State Wildcats after leading Cincinnati Bearcats to 14 straight NCAA tournament appearances from 1992 to 2005.
In a statement, West Virginia said it supported Huggins’ decision to resign “so he can focus on his health and family.”
“On behalf of West Virginia University, we share our appreciation for his service to our university, our community and our state,” the statement read. “During his time as a student-athlete, assistant coach and head coach, Coach Huggins devoted himself to his players, to our student body, to our fans and alumni and to all West Virginians. His contributions will always be a part of our history. In the days ahead, we will focus on supporting the student-athletes in our men’s basketball program and solidifying leadership for our program.”
Huggins was convicted of drunken driving in 2004 while at Cincinnati. After pleading no contest, he was suspended for approximately two months by the school and ordered to undergo rehabilitation. But the conviction led to a standoff with then-university president Nancy Zimpher that ultimately resulted in Huggins resigning as Bearcats coach the following year.
