Wren Baker once again took the podium to introduce a new basketball coach at WVU for his fourth time in just as many years. First Mark Kellogg, then interim Josh Eilert, last year Darian DeVries, and now Ross Hodge, it feels like the WVU fan base is certainly getting used to these types of announcements and press conferences. However, there were some key interesting points made by Hodge that made his time at the podium stand out from the rest.
Listed below are four main takeaways from the former University of North Texas Head Coach, Ross Hodge.
The handling of recruiting:
It was made very clear from Hodge that he was going to take no shortcuts when it comes to recruiting to build his roster. With the way college athletics has shifted more and more to a free agency style, Hodge knows that teams have to completely rebuild rosters year after year regardless of head coaching changes, calling players that stick around in today’s sport, “unicorns.”
Fans have also had some worries about WVU being behind in recruiting due to having to wait for Hodge to finish his NIT run with North Texas before coming to West Virginia. However, the new coach made it clear that he would have been recruiting the entire time of his team’s run regardless of if he was coming to WVU or not. Telling everyone he does not feel behind one bit.
“Whether it was us, or you’re like Florida and Houston, or any of those teams still playing, you were going to spend probably… 30% of your time preparing for your games and the other 70% of your time you were going to be recruiting the portal.”
With there being a current dead period in recruiting for a week where teams cannot go visit or recruit players, Hodge will be right back to an even playing field with the rest of the country, even though he says he’s been making phone calls as a WVU recruiter while at North Texas since he was hired.
Defense, defense, defense:
Houston was a common theme and a team that was brought up several times by Hodge throughout his press conference. The Big 12’s top team since joining the conference has become the clear benchmark of the league and the team everyone is chasing. Hodge says however, it’s the defensive standard Houston has that makes them great, and something he tries to emulate in his teams.
“Historically if you look a teams that win and win this time of the year, it’s because they are rooted in defense, and especially in the Big 12.” Hodge also pointed to the fact that when Kansas was running the Big 12 they were doing it through their defense as well.
To drive his point home, Hodge pointed out that over the last eight seasons Houston and North Texas were the top two teams in terms of scoring defense and how “they certainly plan on bringing that style of basketball and brand here” to WVU. This season, Houston led the nation in scoring defense (58.3 papg) while UNT was number three (60.1 papg).
“We plan on being one of the best defensive teams in the Big 12 which makes us one of the best defensive teams in the country, which gives us the opportunity to play extended basketball in March.”
Joe Mazzulla:
It’s no secret that one of the top coaching names in the entire sport of basketball at any level comes from WVU. Joe Mazzulla, a former Mountaineer player, is currently leading a powerhouse Boston Celtics team looking for their second straight NBA title in just his third season as the team’s head coach.
While Mazzulla is a man of little words and does not speak on WVU much, the Celtics’ coach does occasionally speak on when he wore the gold and blue, and Hodge is looking to help grow that connection in the future.
“Coach Mazzulla, what he’s doing with the Celtics, it’s someone that I admire with his ability to profess his faith on a big stage in a time where that gets lost. His messaging is something that inspires me. Just his overall approach to life is awesome and I can’t wait to use him as a resource.”
Hodge said after the press conference that he has not yet spoken to Mazzulla but hopes when things die down for the both of them at some point, the two can talk and connect.
Loyalty to WVU:
It’s been a roller coaster of a ride for WVU Basketball as a whole, with head coaches leaving the job yearly. But on the men’s side of the court, it’s been quite a steep ride. After three head coaching searches in as many years when DeVries left the team after one successful season, Hodge answered the question many were wondering: how do fans know he will stick around.
“This was not an easy move for me… People are important to us and it’s not something that we take lightly putting it like that; moving a family. There was probably only a handful of situations we would have even considered leaving my family there in Texas.”
Hodge said his family shed lots of tears in the process and also brought up how important it is to his family that his wife is now closer to her family who currently lives in Maryland.
While getting choked up at the podium speaking about it own mother, it could not have been more clear that Hodge is a family man who has their best interests at the forefront. It seems it would take quite the offer to force Hodge to put his family through a move once again.
Photo Courtesy of WVU Athletics
