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| | Thursday, September 14 Davis won't occupy Knight's office | |||||
| Associated Press BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Mike Davis may have followed Bob Knight as basketball coach at Indiana, but he won't move into The General's office. "I could never move in there," Davis said. "It's just too special of a place and there's too many memories. I wouldn't feel comfortable." He said that as long as he is part of the Indiana coaching staff, Knight's office in Assembly Hall will remain unoccupied. "I'll have the same desk, the same phone number, the same everything," Davis said. "I don't need any extra room. I may get new carpet but that's about it." Davis, an assistant coach the past three years, was appointed interim coach on Tuesday, two days after Knight was fired for violating a zero-tolerance behavior policy. He spent much of his first full day as coach on Wednesday doing radio and television interviews and returning a seeming endless list of phone calls from well-wishers. He also took time to put together a short list of candidates for the two assistant coaching vacancies that he hopes to fill by early next week. "It has been incredible," Davis said. "I've heard from people that I haven't talked to in years. The word travels fast. Everybody I can think of has called to wish me well." He also had a 6 a.m. conditioning workout with the team. "One thing that's not going to happen this year is we aren't going to lose games in the last five minutes," Davis said. "In five of our nine losses last year we looked tired at the end. That's not going to happen again. "I think they were excited just to get back to work," Davis said. "I thought the energy was there this morning and I thought it was there again in the afternoon when we got together for individual workouts. I just think these kids are ready to start thinking about basketball and only basketball once again." Davis said he plans to run the team his way, including opening practices to the news media. "I really never knew the media couldn't come to practice," Davis said. "I thought they just signed a list and came in. But if they want to come, fine. When we practice, the media can be there, and obviously they will be there when we play. "I think it's good because it will teach the kids to focus under all circumstances." Davis also said he hopes to be available for whatever speaking engagements and interviews are requested of him. "People think of me as a quiet, reserved guy, but if I'm needed, I want to be available to help," Davis said. "This is a great opportunity for me and I want to take advantage of it every way possible." | ALSO SEE Mike Davis bio Davis understands interim season is his audition Hoosiers name Davis interim coach Knight 'graciously' says goodbye to IU students Ousted General: Knight fired for unacceptable behavior | |||||