Hall of Fame coach Bob Huggins will return to the West Virginia sideline next season — at a price, ESPN reported Wednesday.
The school plans to issue a suspension, reduce his salary by $1 million and require sensitivity training following his use of an anti-gay slur earlier this week, according to the report.
Huggins, 69, apologized for his controversial remarks made during an appearance on a Cincinnati sports radio show on Monday.
Huggins, who coached at Cincinnati from 1989-2005, was discussing the Bearcats’ annual crosstown rivalry game against Xavier when his conversation with WLW host Bill Cunningham became “insensitive” and “offensive,” in the words of West Virginia officials.
Huggins talked about Xavier fans throwing “rubber penises” onto the court, blaming “all those f–s, those Catholic f–s” for those actions.
“Coach Huggins’ remarks today on a Cincinnati radio show were insensitive, offensive and do not represent our University values,” the university said in a statement on Monday. “Coach Huggins has since apologized. West Virginia University does not condone the use of such language and takes such actions very seriously. The situation is under review and will be addressed by the University and its athletics department.”
The Mountaineers’ men’s basketball Twitter account published a lengthy apology from Huggins on Monday..
“Earlier today on a Cincinnati radio program, I was asked about the rivalry between my former employer, the University of Cincinnati, and its crosstown rival, Xavier University. During the conversation, I used a completely insensitive and abhorrent phrase that there is simply no excuse for — and I won’t try to make one here. I deeply apologize to the individuals I have offended, as well as to the Xavier University community, the University of Cincinnati and West Virginia University.
“As I have shared with my players over my 40 years of coaching, there are consequences for our words and actions, and I will fully accept any coming my way. I am ashamed and embarrassed and heartbroken for those I have hurt. I must do better, and I will.”
Huggins has coached West Virginia since 2007. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022 and is one of only six men’s coaches to reach 900 career wins.
Huggins signed a two-year extension in August 2021 that was scheduled to pay him $4.15 million for the 2023-24 season.
–Field Level Media