The Next IU General

What do UNLV, Michigan, and Ohio State all have in common? All schools were found guilty of severe NCAA violations and their punishments included the removal of both Final Four banners and player records.

According to the NCAA, Michigan’s Fab Five – which added style, flare, and a brand new breed of basketball player – never existed.

Although nothing is official, Indiana can now be tossed into the notorious group of universities who have committed major NCAA infractions.

Rules were broken and one concise action needs to happen.

Kelvin Sampson must go. No excuses. He simply must go.

Sampson has infested a squeaky-clean basketball program with lies and deceit and now he must pay the price.

Whenever IU decides to kick Sampson to the curb for inviting major NCAA violations into the Assembly Hall, one question will linger.

Who will take the IU coaching reigns?

Dan Dakich – current IU assistant coach, former player & assistant coach

The obvious – but not sexy – choice is Dan Dakich.

Dakich comes from the Indiana family. The Merrillville, IN native graduated from Indiana in 1985 and then spent 12 seasons on Bob Knight’s coaching staff as an assistant coach.

During his initial tenure at IU, Dakich assisted in graduating every four-year player to go through the program. Dakich was the academic monitor of the IU basketball staff during his final seven seasons.

Dakich returned to IU in 2007 after a 10-year stint as head coach at Bowling Green, where he finished tied for third all-time in victories.

Based on his overall record at Bowling Green (156-140), the man knows how to coach and win.

Along with his aforementioned academic accolades during his first stretch with IU, he saw 20 of his 23 seniors earn degrees at Bowling Green.

The hiring of Dakich would alleviate the fear of future NCAA infractions because Dakich learned his coaching morals from Knight, who graduated his players and eluded any NCAA infractions.

Assuming he would still be eligible, Dakich should be high on the list. If Indiana president Robbie McRobbie decides to clean house and remove all of Sampson’s assistants, than obviously IU would have to look outside the box for their next general.

Dane Fife – current IPFW coach, former IU player

Dane Fife graduated from IU after leading the Hoosiers to the 2002 NCAA championship game. He led the team past heavily favored Duke in the Sweet Sixteen. He led them again over a favored and Sampson-coached Oklahoma team in the Final Four.

Notice a pattern? Fife is a leader. Fife was the heart and soul of the Hoosiers during his career, both on and off the court.

Fife led a distraught and heartbroken team after Knight was abruptly fired in 2000. Instead of being a follower, he chose to be the leader of the team and assisted with the transition under first-time coach, Mike Davis.

IU alums and administration should take a hard look at Fife to lead the Hoosiers again, although this time from inside the coaching box.

Fife is the current head coach of the IPFW Mastodons (Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne). In 2005 at the ripe age of 28, Fife was named head coach of the Mastodons and at the time of his hiring was the youngest coach in Division I.

Fife is in the middle of his third season at IPFW and has posted anything but an impressive record. He has posted a career record of 27-46, but the Hoosiers should look past his coaching record and more at his morals, personality, and leadership abilities.

Is he too young? Yes. Does he have the experience? No. Does he deserve the job? Not yet.

Those negative responses would turn away most to the next coaching candidate. But, one should not turn their attention away from Fife that fast.

Fife is a Hoosier. He bleeds cream and crimson. He is part of the Indiana family. He is one of Knight’s boys as he was recruited by the General.

Perhaps the biggest upside to Fife is his youth and enthusiasm. Despite his lack of experience, his leadership during IU’s miracle NCAA run of 2002 is still fresh in the minds of IU fans and alums across the nation.

Assuming the NCAA comes down hard on IU for their violations, Fife – as head coach – would probably be given more leniency and patience based on his Hoosier background.

Fife would not be a front-runner for the opening, but he definitely deserves a second, third and even fourth look. He led the Hoosiers to the Final Four as a player; he deserves the same opportunity as their coach.

There are other candidates out there that surely will get their opportunities to talk with the IU administration. Both Gonzaga’s Mark Few and Memphis’ John Calipari turned down offers before the Sampson hiring, and perhaps they will be approached again.

Another potential Sampson successor is also part of the Indiana family. In fact, he started the Indiana family. He recently resigned from his coaching post at Texas Tech. He is the all-time wins leader in men’s college basketball?

Give up? Need more clues?

No, Bobby Knight will not return to coach at IU, but perhaps he should replace the spineless and incompetent Rick Greenspan as athletic director.

Sampson’s firing needs to be done sooner rather than later to prevent further suffering and humiliation.

President McRobbie can sum it up in four words:

“Kelvin, you are fired.”

Time to roll out the red carpet for a new general.