Is Bob Huggins slapping West Virginia with a new lawsuit? Uncovering the latest updates on his resignation drama

Bob Huggins vacated his position at the University of West Virginia amid scandalous incidents in June. The long-term head coach of the Mountaineer basketball program was said to have resigned after his arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol in Pittsburgh.

However, the veteran basketball coach has made it clear that he did not voluntarily step down from his position as head coach. In a letter from his legal team to the university, he demanded reinstatement, failing which he would pursue legal action.

In a joint statement in the middle of June, West Virginia President Gordon Gee and athletic Director Wren Baker had informed the public of the coach's resignation. They offered their appreciation to the basketball coach and backed his choice to take a break from coaching.

“Coach Huggins informed us of his intent to retire and has submitted his letter of resignation, and we have accepted it in light of recent events. We support his decision so that 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. 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.”

The story now seems to be taking a different turn with the latest call for reinstatement. The coach and the university appear to be in the midst of an impending legal battle if the situation is not amicably resolved.

Bob Huggins calls for his reinstatement

According to West Virginia Metro News columnist Hoppy Kercheval, Huggins' attorneys are negating the claim by the university that the coach resigned in June. The coach's legal team deemed the statement by the university as factually inaccurate.

“Coach Huggins never signed a resignation letter and never communicated a resignation to anyone at WVU. Accordingly, the WVU public comments are not only false, but appear to be an after-the-fact attempt to remedy WVU’s breach of the Employment,”

The letter demanded that the university reinstate him to the head coach position, which he took over in 2007. He led them to 11 NCAA tournaments. He also has 1 Final Four, 1 Elite Eight, and 5 Sweet Sixteen appearances with the program.

West Virginia has subsequently issued a strong response to the letter, asserting that he resigned on June 17, 2023. They further stated that he subsequently informed his players and staff that he would no longer continue as their coach.