Fran Fraschilla Calls Ross Hodge a 'Better Fit' for West Virginia Than Darian DeVries

WVU's future looks incredibly bright with Ross Hodge at the helm.

Feb 28, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Ross Hodge yells from the sideline during the second half against the BYU Cougars at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

West Virginia is not for everyone.

You have to be able to connect with the fan base, understand that you're not going to have the same resources as some of the elite programs in the country, but will have more than enough to compete, and the expectation is that you will.

Also, when you're the head coach of one of the major sports at WVU, there's a magnifying glass on you. Everyone knows who you are, and you'll immediately become one of the most recognizable people in the state, regardless of how long you've been on the job.

Despite last year's success, Darian DeVries struggled to connect with the fan base in his one and only year in Morgantown. This is something that I've heard from numerous fans who met him on the Coaches Caravan, met him at another WVU-related event, or just happened to cross paths with him in public.

He put WVU in an incredibly tough spot by leaving at the first chance he had, heading to a program that hasn't had anywhere near the success the Mountaineers have experienced this century. That said, it led to Wren Baker hiring Ross Hodge, and it may have been a blessing in disguise for West Virginia.

Following Indiana's loss to Michigan State on Sunday, I posted on X how DeVries and Hodge have the same record of 17-12 through the first 29 games. ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla dropped his two cents on how it's all played out for WVU.

Respectfully, @coachrosshodge is a better fit for @WVUhoops. What a job he’s done. That’s 16-2 run in the first half vs. @BYUMBB reminded me of the old days. The rumor is that he likes pepperoni rolls also.

— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) March 2, 2026

Fran is spot on. Hodge has made it a priority to connect with the fans and consistently throws love their way.

After a road win over Arizona State earlier this season, where a bunch of Mountaineers were on hand, he stated, “We really do have one of the best fanbases in the country, if not the best fanbase in the country. They’re passionate – they care so much. There’s 1.8 million people in the state. No pro sport teams. “In West Virginia, you have West Virginia,” he continued. They say it a lot there, ‘there is always a West Virginia connection,’ and I’m always amazed, whether I’m going through airports or whatever, how many people you run into that were West Virginia alums, or had a brother or had an uncle, so to see them out here and feeling their presence and help was awesome.”

He just gets it. He understands how important WVU basketball is to the people in this state and is determined to get this program back on track.