Bob Huggins says he never resigned, wants WVU job back

Bob Huggins has stated that he never resigned from West Virginia University and is demanding his reinstatement as head men’s basketball coach at the school.

In a letter sent Friday by his attorney David A. Campbell, he says that Huggins never communicated his resignation directly to the university and that the "purported resignation is incredibly based on a text message from Coach Huggins’ wife."

Writes Campbell in the letter: "WVU is faced with the following choices: (1) Reinstate Coach Huggins to his Head Basketball Coach position once the rehabilitation program is completed pursuant to the plain terms of the Employment Agreement; or (2) remain in breach of the Employment Agreement and face litigation. The litigation will not only involve the breach of the Employment Agreement, but also WVU’s clear violation of state and federal law by terminating Coach Huggins without due process or even an interview to determine the true facts, not those reported by the media."

Huggins was arrested in Pittsburgh for a DUI on June 16 after blowing a blood alcohol content of .210, close to three times the legal limit. According to the criminal complaint against Huggins, a police officer observed garbage bags with empty beer containers both inside his vehicle and in the trunk. After he was asked multiple times where he was and did not respond, Huggins answered "Columbus." 

The DUI charge marked the second controversial, self-inflicted incident for the 69-year-old in a matter of five weeks, after he made homophobic remarks aimed at Xavier fans in a guest appearance on a Cincinnati radio station in May. That led to a $1 million reduction in salary, an amended contract and a three-game suspension. 

The two controversies resulted in one of the all-time downfalls of a coach in college basketball history. Huggins was the active winningest head coach in the sport, with 935 victories and two Final Four trips in his over four decades at the helm. 

In a response letter from West Virginia University to Campbell on Saturday, WVU vice president and general counsel Stephanie D. Taylor wrote: "The University will not accept Mr. Huggins’ revocation of his resignation, nor will it reinstate him as head coach of the men’s basketball program. Moreover, if Mr. Huggins or his counsel attempts to publicly suggest that he somehow did not resign and retire from his position, please be advised that the University will swiftly and aggressively defend itself from these spurious allegations."

The university also stated that it is "frankly confused" by Huggins’ claims in the letter it received on Friday. 

Huggins met with his players and the staff on the night of June 17 to inform them that he would no longer be their head coach. The university adds that at 9:38 p.m. ET that night, Huggins "clearly communicated his resignation and retirement to the University in writing via email (not text message as asserted in your letter)." 

Later that night, WVU publicized Huggins’ resignation with a letter from him, as well as statements from university president Gordon Gee and athletic director Wren Baker. 

In the letter, Huggins stated that he submitted his letter of resignation to the university and that he had "[Let] all of you — and myself — down. 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."

West Virginia’s confusion also lies in the fact that the correspondence is coming from the Cleveland-based Lewis Brisbois law firm and not one of Huggins’ lawyers that the university has been in correspondence with for years throughout his tenure.

The letter states that "aside from being completely factually inaccurate," the allegations are opposite from the dialogue WVU has had with Mr. Bob Fitzmorris, a West Virginia-based lawyer who has been representing Huggins on recent matters, as well as James "Rocky" Gianola, Mr. Huggins’ long-standing lawyer who has historically represented him.

Gianola represented Huggins in conversations with WVU on June 16 and 17, "when Mr. Huggins decided to resign as WVU Head Men’s Basketball Coach and retire from the University effective immediately," the school states. 

The letter from Campbell threatening litigation against the university comes two weeks following West Virginia naming Josh Eilert the school’s interim head coach for the 2023-24 season. 

Eilert, a Huggins assistant, spent the last 15 years as an assistant in Morgantown. Eilert got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Kansas State, under Huggins in 2006-07, before moving with him to WVU the following season. 

This news was first reported by Hoppy Kercheval of WVMetronews.com. 

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.