Darian DeVries Got a Taste of Karma After Bolting From WVU

A year ago, the West Virginia Mountaineers were the first team left out of the NCAA Tournament field, earning the title of the biggest snub in March Madness history. Bracket Matrix had 100% of bracketologists projecting WVU to be in the field, and yet, they were excluded — the first time that's ever happened.

Hours after WVU was snubbed from a spot in the dance, head coach Darian DeVries bolted for what he thought would be greener pastures, taking the job at Indiana.

Yesterday, DeVries found himself in a familiar spot, missing out on the tournament once again, but this time was the fourth team listed in the "first four out" grouping, sitting behind Oklahoma, Auburn, and San Diego State.

West Virginia fans are convinced that his son, Tucker, intentionally opted to sit out the remainder of last season so that he could redshirt and play one more season elsewhere with his dad. Many of those folks believe that some dialogue may have started during the MTE that Indiana and West Virginia played in super early in the year, in November, but only a select few know when those conversations actually started and the severity of Tucker's injury.

Regardless, the decision to leave WVU after just one season for a program that has fallen on hard times since the turn of the century was a risky move. The two coaches before him at Indiana each lasted a grand total of four seasons. The Mountaineers have been a far better program over the last 25 years, and while the pressure would have been incredibly high here, too, he wouldn't have been on the hot seat as long as he continued to build the program up and make the tournament consistently. At Indiana, if they're not seeing a national title contender, you'll start to feel the pressure.

WVU isn't a stepping stone job, and I think deep down, that's what bothered West Virginia fans the most with DeVries. He didn't care to make much of an effort to plant roots in Morgantown, build a strong relationship with the fans and the people of the state. He put Wren Baker and the basketball program itself in a difficult position, leading to a fourth head coach in as many years.

Baker made a strong pitch to keep DeVries in place and give him all of the resources needed to compete in the Big 12 and even nationally. That wasn't enough. He thought he could get it done at Indiana because of the resources and rich history they have, but one year in, and he's in the exact spot he was in a year ago with the Mountaineers. Maybe he gets it going in Bloomington, maybe he doesn't. But his departure and the way he handled it will never be forgotten by Mountaineer fans.