Why did Bob Huggins retire? Exploring the reason behind veteran coach's sudden retirement

Bob Huggins, the former longtime West Virginia Mountaineers coach, has resigned from the team and also announced his retirement from college basketball. He ended his career with the Mountaineers after a 345-203 record, which was highlighted by a Final Four appearance in 2010.

Huggins’ superb basketball record wasn’t the reason he quit the team and coaching college hoops. He was arrested on Friday in Pittsburgh for DUI. Police stated that he was found outside of his SUV, which had a flat and shredded tire.

When asked to move his vehicle out of the traffic, the also erstwhile longtime Cincinnati Bearcats coach struggled to control the said automobile. Huggins, according to the police, was intoxicated as he didn’t even know which city he was in.

He repeatedly mumbled Columbus, Ohio some 185 miles away from where he was found.

Bob Huggins’ blood alcohol content was 0.21%, nearly two times more than the legal limit of 0.08%. Inside his SUV were plastics of empty beer cans.

Just last month, the strong-willed coach appeared on "The Bill Cunningham Show" and made anti-gay, anti-transgender, anti-Catholic and other such comments. He later apologized and called his statements “insensitive and abhorrent.”

West Virginia University responded by suspending Bob Huggins for three games next season and made his stint with the Mountaineers a yearly deal. Huggins remained a popular figure and many thought he would eventually bounce from his horrific diatribe.

Huggins’ DUI was the nail in the coffin. It was the second time he had such an incident. The first time he was arrested for such transgression was in 2004 in Cincinnati.

In both cases, no one was hurt, injured, or killed. However, many agree that things could have gotten a lot worse both times.

---

---

Only time will tell if Bob Huggins will coach again

Bob Huggins held a 935-414 record in coaching stints with the Walsh Cavaliers, Akron Zips, Cincinnati Bearcats, Kansas State Wildcats and West Virginia Mountaineers. He was a hard coach who wasn’t afraid to get after his players.

Rival coaches do not see something peculiar or extraordinary with his coaching Xs and Os. They are just amazed by his ability to get his players to compete more and play harder regardless of the situation or the opponents.

Many players have become successful on and off the court under his tutelage. He may still have something left in the tank if he coaches again.

For now, he intends to be a better man for his family.

---