Ross Hodge didn’t duck the moment after Wednesday night’s exhibition, and he didn’t try to pretend it was anything other than a mistake. The West Virginia coach went onto the Coliseum floor after freshman center Aliou Dioum dunked and hung on the rim, making sure the message landed loud and clear: that can’t happen.
A day later, Hodge said on his radio show Thursday night that the two had already moved past it. He also admitted he should have handled it differently.
“He’s just like a gangly kind of young deer and made a mistake, and I forgot; in the midst of his making a mistake, I made a mistake. I should have called a timeout first.
But I love Aliou, and I love his passion. It was a teachable moment, and he was standing right next to me when we were singing Country Roads, and he’s like, ‘I got to learn all the words to this song, Coach!”
The coach also made it clear that Dioum’s energy is part of why he’s valued so highly inside the program. Hodge said the freshman brings it every day in practice and pointed to his personality as a real asset in the locker room and around the team.
“Aliou was actually our first high school commit, and (assistant coach) Yusuf (Ali), rightfully so, garnered a lot of national attention for his recruiting prowess for Miles (Sadler) and Mo (Sylla) and these other guys, but I’m not so sure if we were placing percentages of importance in the recruiting processes of those other guys; again, Yusuf, rightfully so, but right under him is Aliou. He’s young, but he’s spent the most time in the States.
He’s been here the longest, even more than Mo, even though Mo is older than him, so they do listen to him. He’s got a very strong personality, very engaging, funny, witty, never has a bad day, bringing the energy every day in practice.”
Hodge also said Dioum’s importance goes beyond the occasional mistake. The freshman is expected to become a significant piece for West Virginia once his body fills out and the game slows down for him, with a future role as a defensive disruptor and a player who can generate extra chances through his work on the boards.
In Other News...
West Virginias Rotation Is Taking Shape But A Key Battle Isnt Over
West Virginias preseason exhibitions have given Ross Hodge a clearer look at how his first Mountaineers rotation might settle in, and the early signs suggest a compact core is already separating itself from the pack. Hodge has leaned on a group he trusts, using the exhibitions to sort through a roster that looks deeper and more versatile than the average preseason group, while also getting a better read on which players can help in meaningful minutes once the games start counting.
Still, the picture is not fully set, because there are players on the edge of the rotation who have at least made the decision more complicated. The Mountaineers have enough pieces to mix and match, and that kind of flexibility can be a strength, but it also means the final pecking order is still being fought over behind the scenes. For a team trying to build identity early, the most interesting question may be less about who starts and more about who earns a lasting role once the roster trims down to its true eight or nine. [Read more 🡒]
Ross Hodge Sent An Early Message To West Virginias Young Frontcourt
The first real teaching moment of the Ross Hodge era arrived quickly for West Virginias young frontcourt. In an exhibition against Wheeling, freshman Aliou Dioum was whistled for a technical foul after hanging on the rim following a dunk, and Hodge made sure the message was delivered immediately on the floor. It was the kind of correction that can get lost in a preseason tuneup, but for a staff trying to establish standards early, it clearly mattered.
Dioum stayed in the game and still made his presence felt, finishing with seven points, two rebounds and two blocks in seven minutes. Even in a non-competitive setting, Hodge treated the sequence as a reminder that habits count, especially for a group of young bigs learning how to operate within the details. For West Virginia, it was a small moment with a larger purpose, the sort of baseline expectation that can define how the frontcourt develops from here. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs Defensive Ceiling Looks Shakier Than Fans Wanted To Admit
West Virginias defensive profile has become harder to gloss over as the Big 12 schedule has worn on. A look at the Pro Football Focus grades and snap counts shows a unit with only a few players grading above 70, which is a pretty thin margin for error when the games get tighter and the competition gets more explosive. The struggles in that four-game stretch in conference play exposed how quickly things can slip when the back end is under pressure.
Geimere Latimer has been one of the steadier pieces, piling up a heavy snap load and holding up well overall. But the broader picture still points to a defense that has had trouble finding enough reliable play at safety, and that has left the passing game vulnerable in ways West Virginia could not afford. The question now is not whether the Mountaineers have some individual pieces to build around, but whether the ceiling of the unit is lower than many hoped heading into the season. [Read more 🡒]