Josh Eilert says becoming a head coach has always been his goal

Josh Eilert has spent a lot of time on the bench at West Virginia. Now, after being named interim head coach of the Mountaineers, he accomplished a major career goal as he now finds himself at the head of the table.

Eilert commented on his achievement of finally becoming a head coach at his introductory press conference earlier this week. He said that he hadn’t left Morgantown before considering it had become home for himself and his family. Even so, with his loyalty in mind, he thinks his longevity in his role paid off and now speaks volumes about his ability to stay true to himself in a space where it isn’t typically common.

“It’s always been my goal,” Eilert said. “I’ve had opportunities over the years to step out and do different things. I thought the synergy of the whole matter was if you show loyalty, if you show patience? It’s always going to work out for you. I never felt the need to uproot my wife and my kids if I didn’t need to.”

“In this business? Let’s be honest. It’s unheard of to be at one place for 16 years,” said Eilert. “It’s unheard of. But I think it’s a lesson for a lot of people just to stay true to the people that are true to you.”

Eilert has been right at Bob Huggins’ side for 17 years with one at Kansas State before they both arrived at West Virginia. Since then, he has been a part of all the success that the program experienced during Huggins’ tenure inside WVU Coliseum. That includes 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, five Sweet 16s, and a Final Four back in 2010.

Still, after over a decade and a half, Eilert remained right where he was with Huggins and the Mountaineers up until his resignation earlier this month. That commitment has since paid off with the biggest opportunity of his career coming his way during the ’23-’24 campaign.

Eilert addresses pressure of taking over for Hall of Fame coach

Josh Eilert has never been a head coach before. He only ever worked as a graduate assistant, video coordinator, director of basketball operations and, eventually, assistant coach under Bob Huggins for the last 17 years.

That’s changing now. Eilert was officially named the interim head coach at West Virginia last week. The Mountaineers named him to replace Huggins, at least for the 2023-24 season. Despite the way it ended, those are some big shoes to fill considering Huggins went into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame last year.

Eilert knows it, too, and isn’t hiding from the pressure that comes with taking the role.

“Yes,” he said with a chuckle when asked if he feels that pressure.

Huggins had a 345-203 record at West Virginia in 16 seasons as the head coachH is Hall of Fame-worthy career makes him a tough act to follow on the court. That’s why Eilert said, no matter who WVU hired for the role, it’d be a tough task to replace Huggins.

“I mean, anybody that had to take this role is going to feel a lot of pressure,” Eilert said. “He’s a Hall of Fame coach, and very few people have to do that. I look at it as an opportunity to — I don’t want to say people have low expectations, but I’m excited to show what I can do and what our staff can do and what our guys can do and how we can get them bought in. It’s in a difficult situation. So I see as an opportunity.”