Report: Penn State Hoops Assistant Coach JD Byers To Join Virginia Tech Staff
Newly hired Penn State men’s basketball assistant coach JD Byers is reportedly leaving Penn State for the same position at Virginia Tech, according to the Centre Daily Times’ Jon Sauber and The Coaching Portal.
The reported news of Byers’ departure comes just eight days after the announcement of his hiring to head coach Mike Rhoades’ staff on March 30.
In the meantime, chief of staff Jimmy Martelli will reportedly slide into the assistant coaching role.
Byers spent nine seasons on Rhoades’ staff, beginning when the pair coached at Rice in 2014. After Rhoades secured the head job at VCU, he kept Byers on his staff in Richmond beginning in 2017. There, Byers developed as one of the top recruiters in the Atlantic 10, signing three of the program’s top-six highest-ranked recruits in program history.
The opening at Virginia Tech became available after assistant coach Mike Jones left the Hokies for an assistant gig at Maryland. Byers’ wife is the head coach of the women’s volleyball team at Virginia Tech, which undoubtedly played a role in him taking the position.
It’s unclear who will take over for Byers on staff. Former assistant coaches Aki Collins and Mike Farrelly have yet to find landing spots following Micah Shrewsberry’s exit, but it’s more likely that Rhoades will turn to a mid-major coach to bring into the fold.
A Penn State Athletics spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment.
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