| | ESPN.com news services
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The post-Bob Knight era at Indiana University
began Monday in a style one might expect from the Hall of Fame
coach himself: an ultimatum.
|  | | Indiana's George Leach, left, talks with Dane Fife about their futures in Bloomington, Ind. |
Players demanded that assistant coaches Mike Davis and John
Treloar be retained and that one of them be hired as interim coach.
Otherwise, center Kirk Haston said, there would be "serious
repercussions."
"I'd say we'd have several guys leave. I couldn't put a
specific number, but several would leave," Haston said. "If they
want to keep this team together, they'll give us some support, and
that means they'll keep coach Treloar and coach Davis here."
Davis told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Tuesday that he will be named the interim coach
Athletic director Clarence Doninger said on Monday that he has asked Davis and
Treloar to stay, although not necessarily as the interim coach.
Doninger also said he already has received calls from "a number of
people" -- whom he would not identify -- interested in the head
coaching job.
One player, junior guard Dane Fife, said he has decided to
transfer -- at Knight's urging -- "because there's no reason for me
to be here with what's going on and how we've been treated."
Fife hedged a bit later Monday when he said he had not asked for a release yet.
Another, freshman swingman A.J. Moye, said he likely would
leave, too, and lashed out at university president Myles Brand, who
fired Knight a day earlier.
"I just feel like the whole administration, this whole school
is screwed up, basically," Moye said "We were lied to, we were
deceived and now it's over, all because people wanted coach out.
They got their way. I hope they're happy. ... I hope they're just
dancing somewhere happy. Twelve players' lives are never going to be
the same because of them."
Other players said they would wait to see what Doninger decides
about a new coach.
"If things work out the way we want it, we'll stay," sophomore
forward George Leach said. "We are ready to go if they don't meet
our demands. Indiana will not have a team."
Haston said he would like to talk again with Knight, who met
with the players Sunday night.
"This is still his team, and I'll do anything he says he wants
me to do," Haston said.
"Everybody wants to see a resolution to this," Indiana freshman forward Jared Jeffries said Monday. "If coach Davis gets the job then everything will be fine. Coach Davis can keep the team together."
Knight's son, Pat, an assistant coach, said his father likely
will coach somewhere else, and he would go with him.
"I'm out of here. I wouldn't stay in this place after the way
they treated my father," Pat Knight said. "There's no way.
"He's excited and wants to go someplace," the younger Knight
said of his father. "He's got a good five or six years left in him
to coach. A Hall of Fame coach that's available is a pretty hot
commodity in my book. Everybody's thinking it ends here. It doesn't
end here. This is a new beginning for us."
Davis had said he likely would not remain as an assistant.
"The players would really have to convince me to stay here as
an assistant coach," Davis said on Monday.
He said he spoke to the players and told them to be patient and
not make a decision based on what happens to the assistants.
Doninger understands why the players are upset.
"You've got some quality people and they are stunned by all of
this. They are hurt by all of this," he said. "There's no
question they came to Indiana University to play for coach Bob
Knight. We'd like to think they came to Indiana University because
of Indiana University too, but I know the facts of life here, and
they came to play for coach Knight."
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Indiana decides to go all season with an interim coach
AUDIO/VIDEO
 After a meeting with university officials, Dane Fife plans on transferring.
RealVideo: 28.8
Assistant coach Pat Knight says he'll be leaving IU as well.
RealVideo: 28.8
 Dane Fife wants either John Trailer or Mark Davis to be named interim head coach at Indiana University.
wav: 50 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Isiah Thomas entertains the idea of hiring Bob Knight for the Pacers.
wav: 131 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Baylor head coach Dave Bliss comments on Bob Knight being a teacher and not a fighter.
wav: 305 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
George Leach wants to know who is going to be interim head coach at Indiana University.
wav: 183 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Kirk Haston doesn't want John Trailer or Mark Davis to be overlooked as candidates for head coach.
wav: 93 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Mark Davis will seek Bob Knight's advice if he decides to take the position.
wav: 92 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Patrick Knight says the allegations against his dad are false.
wav: 189 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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