| | By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
Indiana University will not go after a present head coach at another Division I
school to replace the fired Bob Knight, Hoosiers' athletics director
Clarence Doninger told ESPN.com Sunday night.
Doninger said Indiana will hire an interim coach for the 2000-01
season, with assistants Mike Davis and John Treloar given a chance to get
the job. Indiana freshman Jared Jeffries told ESPN.com Sunday that the
players have endorsed Davis for the position.
|  | | Someone who is not a current head coach -- someone like former Iowa coach Tom Davis -- might be selected as interim coach. |
But Doninger said Indiana will look at hiring an interim head coach
who used to coach, but understands he won't be given the job on a
fulltime basis.
"We do have a problem prying somebody away from another program
that's a head coach," Doninger said. "That disrupts the other school and
it's not fair to do that to the other school. Therefore, that's not the
route we're taking."
Doninger said he will expedite the process, but doesn't have a list
prepared. Coaches who fit the criteria of being an interim coach who is out
of college basketball could include former Iowa coach Tom Davis, former
Saint Louis coach Charlie Spoonhour, former Georgia Tech coach Bobby
Cremins, and former DePaul coach Joey Meyer.
"We would be looking at someone who is available and who it wouldn't
create a problem with their current employer," Doninger said. "I don't know
who that is right now. Do I sound unprepared? Yes. But I thought we were
prepared for the year. This change occurred rapidly."
Doninger said the interim coach would understand that he is an
interim solution. Mike Davis and Treloar have a legitimate chance to be named
interim coach, and eventually, the fulltime coach. Doninger said he has met
with both assistants and has asked them to stay on the staff. Doninger said
he hasn't met with assistant Pat Knight, but the assumption is that Knight
wouldn't stay on after his father was fired.
"We would consider them for the interim position," Doninger said of
Mike Davis and Treloar. "We want what's best for Indiana and we feel we need
continuity."
Indiana isn't alone in dealing with a high-profile hire after the
fall semester had started. In the last five years, California, Michigan, UCLA and
Arizona State all had to make late hires. Cal fired Todd Bozeman and hired
Ben Braun away from Eastern Michigan. UCLA promoted assistant Steve Lavin to
replace the ousted Jim Harrick. Lavin was eventually hired on a fulltime
basis. Michigan promoted assistant Brian Ellerbe to replace Steve Fisher.
Ellerbe still is the head coach at Michigan. Arizona State replaced Bill
Frieder with assistant coach Don Newman. Newman was the interim for a year
before he was replaced by Rob Evans on a fulltime basis.
Mike Davis would be the prevailing choice on the staff. Davis recruited
the majority of the players on this roster and has helped secure commitments
for the incoming class.
"I want Coach Davis," said Jeffries, who was the highest-profile
recruit to land at Indiana in recent years. "Coach Knight has gotten him
ready the past three years. He knows the IU system. He recruited the nucleus
of the team. We need him a lot."
The Hoosiers are expected to challenge for a top-five spot in the
Big Ten and another NCAA Tournament berth. Players have threatened to transfer
if Davis isn't retained.
"As long as coach Davis is with us, we've got the talent," Jeffries
said. "It just may take a while for us to get everything down."
Whenever the search opens up for a fulltime coach, Iowa's Steve
Alford, Evansville's Jim Crews and Bowling Green's Dan Dakich would be
considered if Knight disciples are considered. If not, a national search that could include coaches such as Utah's Rick Majerus would occur in the
spring. Doninger's term ends as athletic director in the spring and it makes
sense for Indiana to wait for a new athletics director before hiring a new
fulltime coach.
Indiana trustee Stephen Backer said the school wanted to return to a
normal chain of command in the hierarchy within the athletic department.
That would mean allowing Doninger to make an interim hire and oversee the
basketball program. Indiana president Myles Brand said one of his
contentions with Knight was that he didn't talk to Doninger since the two
had a heated exchange after a loss to Ohio State in February.
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
| |
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AUDIO/VIDEO
 Indiana University officials excuse Bob Knight of his coaching duties.
RealVideo: 28.8
Andy Katz looks who could be Indiana's next head coach.
RealVideo: 28.8
An emotional Dane Fife reacts after a meeting with his former coach Bob Knight.
RealVideo: 28.8
Athletics director Clarence Doninger talks about the future of Indiana basketball with ESPN's Ed Werder.
RealVideo: 28.8
Mark Shaw, the stepfather of Indiana University student Kent Harvey speaks with the ESPNews crew.
RealVideo: 28.8
ESPN's Dick Vitale looks at where Indiana and Bob Knight go from here.
RealVideo: 28.8
Bob Knight denies a student's allegations against him during a news conference Friday.
RealVideo: 28.8
 In support of Bob Knight and his staff, guard Dane Fife and others will consider leaving Indiana.
wav: 134 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
ESPN's Ed Werder spoke with President Myles Brand after Sunday's announcement.
wav: 702 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Jared Jeffries says Bob Knight was in a tough situation at Indiana.
wav: 255 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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