West Virginia's Rock Star Should Be the Favorite to Win National Coach of the Year

Saturday night's win over No. 2 Iowa State was just another notch in the belt for West Virginia head basketball coach Darian DeVries, who is on one incredible run in his first 17 games on the job.

He's already taken down four top 25 opponents, three of which were ranked inside the top 10 at the time of the game and two who were in the top three. That's something most teams can't accomplish over the span of a decade, let alone in half of a season.

What makes it more impressive is the fact that he's done it mostly without one of his top players, Tucker DeVries, and Jayden Stone, who has yet to play a game this season due to an undisclosed injury. Most nights, the Mountaineers are at a major disadvantage because of their short rotation, but he continues to push all of the right buttons and make the adjustments needed at the half and during the game to give his team a chance to beat virtually anybody.

West Virginia University head coach Darian DeVries | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Last night, WVU wasn't given much of a chance to spring the upset, but once again, the Mountaineers thrived being in the underdog role.

"I think it's obviously a big win for us and our program. I think the world of Iowa State – incredibly well coached – great team," DeVries stated in his postgame press conference. "Like I said before the game, I think they’re one of the best teams in the country and have a chance to play on that last day.

"Overall, I was really proud of our guys – their fight tonight. On a night both teams couldn’t get a lot going offensively, I thought both teams battled extremely hard and obviously, incredibly pleased that we were able to come out and make enough plays at the end there to come away with a big win."

There is still a lot of basketball left to be played, but at this pace, DeVries is making his case to be the National Coach of the Year. I don't care if others have just as many or more signature wins than WVU, to be quite honest. This team has no business doing what it has done, and to me, that's what the Coach of the Year award should be about - the coaching that has done the most with less. It shouldn't just automatically go to the coach of the top team in the country or a team that is stacked with talent. What DeVries has done is unfathomable.

West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Darian DeVries celebrates. Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images — Ben Queen-Imagn Images

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