Tuesday's press conference with West Virginia Athletic Director Wren Baker should make you optimistic about the football program's recent open vacancy after Neal Brown's firing on Sunday. Baker discussed the search's data points and how he and his team plan to conduct it.
Baker stated that he would exhaust every option within the search, knowing that this was the "pro team" in West Virginia, and that he knew how important this school was to the state. Baker genuinely seems to care for the people of this state and takes into account how they feel -- for the most part. This is a business, of course.
Baker intends to ask the right questions to the candidates, and we should have faith in him to do so, given his track record of hiring. He said he would speak to people who have played for the candidates, coached with them, played against them, and more.
He is not giving any updates on preferred candidates: Baker would be asked about the typical rumored names thus like Nick Saban, Jimbo Fisher, and others. He would state he has "spoken" with Saban and Pat McAfee for their input. He also said he wouldn't have mentioned that fact unless McAfee let it slip on his podcast yesterday.
Having West Virginia ties would be significant for a coach at WVU, but there are better potential moves than settling for just that. Baker and staff are looking to move quickly on this matter, given that National Signing Day is today and the transfer portal opens for all teams next Monday.