The people most shocked by Dan Dakich’s return to Bowling Green after a one-week stay at West Virginia University are perhaps the most important – Bowling Green’s basketball players.
The players Dakich had left in Bowling Green last week learned Friday morning that his replacement had been found: Dakich himself. Now the process begins of regaining the trust they had before the coach left, and it doesn’t figure to be en easy one for anyone involved.
“These are smart kids,” Dakich said at Friday’s press conference. “They are hurt that I left, and they have issues that need discussed. It will be difficult for me to build their trust back up, but we will do it through communication. … I have respect for all of these guys; they have bright ideas and bright futures.”
The players have had many emotions since Friday.
“Kris (Wilson) and Josh (Almanson) came in and told me,” BG junior Cory Ryan said. “I thought they were playing a joke on me, because I never thought that our new coach could be our old coach – none of us did. I was just shocked when it happened, and when that passed I was excited.”
“We had no say in his decision to come back,” sophomore Kevin Netter said. “There were a lot of guys on this team with very mixed emotions. It’s going to take time to gain our trust back with him.”
Dakich disciplined five West Virginia players on the first day of practice for arriving late. He also instituted rules he used in Bowling Green, including making the players shave any facial hair and remove any braids from their hair.
“This is a great thing for us, because we don’t have to adjust to a new coach,” Ryan said. “We already know what to expect from coach Dakich, and we don’t need that period of getting to know a new coach. This is a great thing for our team; it will only make us better.”
Dakich and his players had a two-hour meeting Friday upon his return.
“We were all shocked, definitely,” sophomore redshirt John Reimold said. “I don’t really think trust will be an issue with us, because we already know him and he knows us. At first it was hard to understand, but after the meeting we got over it, and now it’s time to move on. It’s good because there’s no adjusting period; now we can just focus on playing basketball.”
“He’s going to earn our respect and trust back by communicating with us every single day. We don’t question his loyalty – he came back and answered all of our questions honestly. You have to respect that.”
Athletic Director Paul Krebs said there was no hesitation in rehiring Dakich.
“He called me and told me that he was leaving West Virginia,” Krebs said. “I talked to President Ribeau and offered Dan his job back. We are extremely happy to have him back, not only in the Athletic Department, but in the Bowling Green community.”
