Ross Hodge answers whether he will stay at West Virginia longer than a year

With the hire of Ross Hodge at West Virginia, some have already wondered when the coach would jump to the next job. Sure, the Mountaineers are a Big 12 institution, but Hodge came from North Texas and is now coaching Power Four college basketball.

Coaches and players bounce around all the time, so what’s the next big job for Hodge after West Virginia and when does it come? One year? Two? Three? Well, Hodge doesn’t look at it that way.

He wanted to find the right situation for him and his family. West Virginia seems to be the place where he belongs. Sounds like something John Denver would say.

“This move was not an easy move for me, I’ll be perfectly honest,” Hodge said. “We talked a lot as a family, we shed a lot of tears, we had deep, meaningful relationships, you know … and that’s something that’s very important to us. 

“Obviously, I’m a basketball coach, that’s what I’m paid to do, to win games, to win championships. We understand that, but people are important to us, and it’s not something that we take lightly, moving a family, there was probably only a handful of situations that we would have even considered again, leaving my family there in Texas, that’s where I’m from originally, and have so much immediate family. But the opportunity to get Shelly back close to her family as well is something that’s very important to us.” 

Hodge alluded to times where he could’ve left North Texas a few years ago. That was before his two-year stint as head coach of the school.

“I had several opportunities to leave when I was an assistant at North Texas, for what some people would say were bigger and better opportunities at bigger brands, higher levels, more money,” Hodge said. “And ultimately, that’s not necessarily what I’m interested in. I’m interested in people and being in a place that we can call home.”

Hodge is 46-24 as a head coach, leading North Texas to the NIT two years in a row, including to the semifinals this season. 

Notably, Wren Baker, the current West Virginia athletic director, has experience working alongside Hodge. Prior to his current role, Baker was the athletic director at North Texas. There, he crossed paths with Ross. That experience together could prove to be valuable.

Before he came to North Texas, Ross made several other stops as an assistant coach at the Division I ranks. Those were all at mid-major schools. On top of that, he was also a head coach at the NJCAA level with two different schools. While there, he led Midland College to a runner-up finish.