Darian DeVries Couldn’t Pass Up ‘Dream Job’ at Indiana

The Indiana men’s basketball job was simply too good for Darian DeVries to pass up.

During his introductory press conference at Indiana Wednesday morning, DeVries, who left his job at WVU after one year, said he simply couldn’t pass up the chance to coach the Hoosiers.

“My intention was to continue down that path (at WVU) and build on the progress that we made on this first year,” DeVries said. “However, the opportunity came along to possibly be the head coach at Indiana, a dream job for anyone, but especially someone who grew up in the Midwest and grew up watching the old Big 8 and Big Ten basketball. The chance to lead one of the biggest brands in college basketball was something I could not pass up.”

DeVries, a native of Iowa, spent all of his coaching career in the Midwest at Creighton (Nebraska) and Drake (Iowa) before moving to WVU last season. He had a very successful six-year tenure as the head coach at Drake before being hired by the Mountaineers.

“One year ago today I took the West Virginia job after I left Drake University because I felt like it was a great fit for myself and my family,” DeVries said. “It had an administration that I greatly respected, a fanbase that was very supportive and a community full of great people. All of that turned out to be true in the past year and we were welcomed with open arms. We met some terrific people and me and my family are beyond grateful for that.”

DeVries made it clear during the press conference that he was very excited to be at Indiana. IU athletic director Scott Dolson said DeVries also made that clear during their search process.

“We wanted somebody who wanted to be here,” Dolson said. “We felt that we were in recruiting mode, but we also wanted someone who was recruiting us. Someone who really, really wanted to be here.”

As much as DeVries wanted to be at Indiana, it appears IU wanted him just as badly, as the university will be paying WVU upwards of $6 million to buy DeVries out of his contract.

WVU athletic director Wren Baker also held a press conference Wednesday to officially start the Mountaineers’ search for DeVries’s replacement as head basketball coach.

For a related story, Wren Baker addresses Bob Huggins as possible candidate to replace Darian DeVries.