MAILBAG: Will Tucker DeVries Return? Eligibility Questions, Darian DeVries' Future + More

With the transfer portal season dying down on the football side and the basketball team pulling off yet another upset, many of our questions in this week's mailbag are centered around the West Virginia men's hoops team.

To participate in next week's mailbag, send me a DM on X (@Callihan_) or reply to my tweet asking for submissions on Saturday.

From @wvufan2023:

Q: Do you think WVU should be ranked in this next poll even tho we split games this week? If so, where do you think they’ll put us this time?

A: Yes, absolutely! I don't think they should have dropped out last week, to be honest. Their resume was much better than several of the teams toward the bottom of the poll. Losing to Arizona, even in a blowout fashion, isn't that big of a deal. It's the Big 12. It's going to happen. Frankly, the Mountaineers should be higher than 21 when they re-enter. Will they, though? Hard to tell what voters think, but they'll be ranked without a doubt.

From @timbaker55:

Q: Big 12 ref Rick Crawford issued a court warning against WVU after students tossed confetti in the air following the opening basket vs. ISU. Is that now a "point of interest" everywhere or only in Morgantown?

A: What?!? Is this true? If so, that's pathetic. They've been doing that for years, which I'm sure you are well aware of. It's not like it's going onto the court or affecting the game, so why issue the warning? That's just silliness. To my knowledge, that's not something that has happened before.

From @JohnBlackshaw:

Q: Of the 7-8 players seeing significant playing time, who has eligibility left after this season? Does Stone have eligibility left?

A: KJ Tenner, Ofri Naveh, Sencire Harris, Jonathan Powell, Amani Hansberry, and Abraham Oyeadier are the scholarship players who have eligibility left. Tucker DeVries can apply for a medical redshirt and Stone can take a normal redshirt. Stone has already played four seasons, but this is his COVID year of eligibility, so he still has a normal redshirt available.

From @EERKing43:

Q: What’s the parade route for the championship trophy in April?

A: I love the optimism! Believe it or not, I do see a scenario in which WVU can make a rather deep run in March, but they have to be healthy, as in no other injuries occurring between now and then. Even without Tucker DeVries and Jayden Stone, they have the toughness and grit to win a couple of games and get to the Sweet Sixteen.

From @bigalfurr:

Q: How many of our portal pickups are enrolled for spring ball?

A: I don't have an exact number, but I'd be willing to say most if not all portal additions to this point will be on hand for spring practice. Future additions may be summer arrivals.

From @brentjustin96:

Q: Is Tucker coming back before the end of the regular season?

A: I haven't heard anything that would suggest that, but considering Darian hasn't completely ruled him out yet, you can remain optimistic. At first, I thought it was more of a precautionary thing that they could get by with during the stretch of cupcake games against NC Central, Bethune-Cookman, and Mercyhurst. He had about three weeks to recover going into the Kansas game, which is what I had pegged as a possible return date. The fact that he still hasn't touched the floor and the opinions I've received when asking about his status would say a return this season is unlikely, but not beyond the realm of possibility.

From @SHarvey28:

Q: What is going to take to keep Coach DeVries in the Old Gold and Blue? Just worried that one of those “Blue Bloods” especially one up the road from you there in Carolina will be looking for a new Head Coach after this season.

A: You can never feel comfortable in college sports, especially at a place like West Virginia, where the resources aren't unlimited. However, WVU is in a much better position to pony up the money to take care of DeVries and any other coach, for that matter, to avoid other schools from poaching. I'd be completely shocked if DeVries left after just one year in Morgantown. He's a pretty loyal guy, as evident in his coaching career. He stuck at Creighton for forever. Going to a blue blood may sound good and all, but the margin for error there is much smaller than it is at WVU. I think you can rest easy about DeVries' future. Wren Baker and the university will do whatever it takes to keep him.

From @TeddyMuzika:

Q: Can Tucker redshirt?

A: Yes. He can take a medical redshirt as long as he doesn't appear in more than 30% of the team's games this season.