In the past 60 years, fans of Indiana University athletics have had very little to cheer about. Yes, we had Jerry Yeagley’s national championship soccer teams, and Doc Counsilman’s perennially successful swimming teams, but how often did 53,524 people show up for a soccer game? And did the IU swimming competition venue ever draw 17,222 spectators? Of course not.
The Bob Knight era at IU stretched from 1971-2000. It was an incredibly successful time for Indiana fans with 11 Big Ten championships, 3 NCAA tournament championships, and a remarkable 73.5% winning record. Assembly Hall was sold out nearly every game. Since Knight’s firing, other than Tom Crean’s good seasons and losing to Maryland in the 2002 NCAA title game, basketball teams have been mediocre and IU basketball has lost its luster.
Football, on the other hand, was never the marquee sport in Bloomington. Football season was always the painful period before BASKETBALL started. Yes, Indiana went to the Rose Bowl in 1968, and Bill Mallory’s coaching tenure was largely a success, but until last season, IU football fans had little to cheer about.
Then, in 2020, Scott Dolson became athletic director. Dolson is a Hoosier and not an attorney, as was the case with several past AD’s. He graduated from IU with a degree in Public and Environmental Affairs, and as an IU undergrad was a manager for the basketball team. He had been assistant AD for 11 years. Since becoming director of athletics his performance has been a roaring success.
Except for the hiring of Mike Woodson as basketball coach (I told you he was a bad choice), his dealings with NIL and the transfer portal, and the hiring of Curt Cignetti and Darian DeVries, his 6-year tenure has brought about a new attitude at Indiana University.
I was motivated to write this article after what I consider a great performance by IU’s new basketball coach and entirely new roster. I saw an IU team that took 28 three-pointers and made 14 (50%), nine in the first half. IU has never shot the ball like that! They shared the ball and found the open man for easy layups or a wide open three. Plus they had only 7 turnovers and forced their opponent to 14. In their first three games IU has averaged 99.6 points a game and taken 38 3’s! That’s awesome.
Some of this success is due to weak opponents, but Milwaukee, last night’s opponent was a physical team that muscled IU around in the paint. It didn’t feel like it, but IU out-rebounded Milwaukee 31-27. Two players, Tayton Conerway and Lamar Wilkerson, scored 21 and 24 points, respectively. Tucker DeVries, the coach’s son, had 12, and was a force under the rim.
I’m encouraged about the upcoming basketball season. IU isn’t perfect and won’t win the NCAA tournament, but they will play better, more competitive basketball than any IU team in the past 10 years. With the current success of this year’s football team, plus optimism for the “Hurryin’ Hoosiers” new season, the attitude in Bloomington and all Indiana fans is as positive as it’s ever been. I have never felt this good about Indiana athletics. It’s a wonderful feeling. I hope fan/student enthusiasm fills The Rock Memorial stadium and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall with Hoosiers who cheer like crazy and can now say “Indiana is a basketball school AND a FOOTBALL school!”
AMEN !!!!!