Eying IU

Another wild day at IU

It’s been a wild 24 hours for IU, but then again, what’s new.

First came the news last night of Eli Holman’s departure, which ended with the freshman breaking a flower pot in the basketball office.

That was just the appetizer to today’s main course.

DeAndre Thomas has been dismissed and Jamarcus Ellis and Armon Bassett – who were kicked off the team in March – also will not return.

That leaves the Hoosiers with just three returning players – Jordan Crawford, Brandon McGee and Kyle Taber - who were on scholarship last year. Walk-on Brett Finkelmeier is also back.

Coach Tom Crean is going to have to work quickly to fill out the roster for the fall. Taber is the only player with frontcourt experience. Crean asked for patience in a statement released today.

“Before you build a team, you need to develop a family,” Crean said in a statement. “We will go through the learning process, feel some growing pains and experience some bumps in the road along the way.  We need the Hoosier Nation to rally around this program as we go through these stages.”

Holman also released a statement apologizing for his actions on Thursday.

“(Thursday) night and (Friday) morning I had the opportunity to apologize to coach Crean and (Friday) I would like to extend that to everyone involved in the program for allowing my frustrations to get the best of me,” Holman said in a statement. “I appreciate everything Indiana University and Coach Crean have done for me and I hope nothing but the best for the program in the future.”

And in what could only be called a coincidence, various reports have former coach Kelvin Sampson landing a job as an assistant for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Strange day, indeed.                                                

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

IU signs 8-year deal with adidas

Indiana and adidas agreed to an 8-year deal in which the company will supply footwear and apparel for all 24 of the university’s sports programs. The deal is worth $21 million.

The contract begins with the 2008-09 season and extends through 2015-16.

“We are proud to extend our relationship with adidas,” IU athletic director Rick Greenspan said in a statement. “We appreciate their willingness to provide our student-athletes and coaches with the best products to aid their development and training, as well as their financial assistance to our department.”

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Crean adds two to staff

Jayd Grossman and Brian Barone have been added to Tom Crean’s staff in administrative positions.

Grossman will serve as Assistant Athletic Director for Men’s Basketball Administration. Barone is the team’s video coordinator. Both were on his staff at Marquette.

Grossman spent five seasons at Marquette. Barone played two years at Marquette and was the coordinator of basketball operations and video coordinator for the team last year.

“I am very excited that Jayd and Brian are coming with us to Indiana,” Crean said in a statement. “I thought it was very important for me to fill open positions with individuals who are familiar with how I like to do things and both are two of the best at what they do.

“Jayd did a tremendous job in his role as Coordinator of Student-Athlete Performance and men’s basketball athletic trainer at Marquette, but now will have the opportunity to focus on administrative matters on a day-to-day basis as it relates to our men’s basketball program. Brian is a young man who grew up in this business and played for me at Marquette. He continues on the road to success in this profession and I am glad he is with us at IU.”

-         By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Cancer challenge event set for May 10

The Coach Hep Indiana Cancer Challenge will take place Saturday, May 10 at Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. The fundraising goal is $150,000. The participation goal is 2,000. The event, held to raise awareness and increase support for the fight against cancer, includes a 2K family walk, 5K run, 40K and 100K cycle and a 40K cycle/5K run. The event benefits the IU Simon Cancer Center and the Olcott Center for Cancer Education.

For more information on how to get involved, visit CoachHepCancerChallenge.org.

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Majors signs with Bears

Cornerback Leslie Majors was among 10 undrafted free agents signed by the Bears on Monday. Majors made 62 tackles as a senior and had two interceptions. He had three interceptions in his career with the Hoosiers.

-         By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Hardy heads to Buffalo

I talked to James Hardy a few minutes after he was drafted No. 41 overall by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of Saturday’s NFL draft. Although the wide receiver admitted he would have liked have gone higher, he’s happy the process is over and is ready to head off to Buffalo.

“I just want to make Buffalo nation proud, just like I did Indiana and Elmhurst," Hardy said. "My mindframe is to go out there and work as hard as I possibly can to do exactly what I need to do to be the best at that level.”

Hardy and Tracy Porter, who was selected one pick earlier at No. 40 to the New Orleans Saints, became the first IU duo to be picked on day one of the draft since 1988. The New York Giants selected Eric Moore with the 10th ovearll pick and Cleveland took Van Waiters in the third round (77th overall) that year.

For more of Hardy’s celebration, see Sunday’s Journal Gazette.

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Catching up with Hardy

I caught up with wide receiver James Hardy this afternoon on the eve of the NFL draft. The Elmhurst graduate is projected to be a late first-round or early second-round pick in the draft, which begins at 3 p.m. Saturday.

He said he isn’t getting caught up in the mock drafts. He’s heard he can go anywhere between 15 and 34. Since IU’s pro day in early March, Hardy has met with seven teams. He listed Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Dallas, St. Louis and Baltimore among the teams he’s visited.

“I’m tired of flying, I can tell you that,” he said with a laugh. “But it’s a good tired.” Hardy said he's anxious and is ready to get the process started.

For more on Hardy’s mood as he gets ready for draft day, see Saturday’s Journal Gazette.

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

IU gets another recruit

Nick Williams has decided to follow Tom Crean to Indiana.

Williams, a 6-foot-5 guard from LeFlore High School in Mobile, Ala., signed a letter of intent to play basketball for the Hoosiers Tuesday.

Williams had originally signed at Crean’s old school, Marquette. He was let out of the commitment when Crean took the IU job. Williams was named the Alabama high school player of the year this spring.

“Nick really addresses a need for us and gives us a big, strong presence in
the backcourt,” Crean said in a statement. “He is a winner who is tough and physical and he boasts a work ethic that has helped him improve his game in a variety of
ways each year. He has done a wonderful job at making the transition as a perimeter player after beginning his career as an inside performer. He comes from an outstanding high school program and has been well coached
throughout his career.”

Williams averaged 21 points as a senior. He averaged 17 points as a junior, helping LeFlore to a state title. Williams chose IU over Arkansas, Kansas State, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Alabama.

“(Assistant coach) Bennie Seltzer deserves a lot of credit for the being the one who recognized that Nick was a player who would be a great fit for our system,” Crean said. “I think Bennie’s efforts and his relationship with everyone involved proved instrumental in Nick becoming a member of the Hoosier
basketball family.”

-- By LaMond Pope, The Journal Gazette

IU lands transfer student

Devon Dumes, a guard who played last season at Vincennes, has made an oral commitment to play at Indiana, according to the Vincennes Web Site.

Dumes led Vincennes in scoring, averaging 16.9 points per game. A 6-foot-2 guard, Dumes joins Tom Pritchard and Matt Roth in the Hoosiers’ class of 2008.

Dumes set a school record at the junior college, making 109 three-pointers.

He shot 41 percent from the floor and 84 percent from the free throw line. Dumes started 33 games, scored in double figures 32 times. He scored a season high 30 points at Lincoln Trail College on Feb. 13.

Dumes played at Eastern Michigan as a freshman. He is the first Trailblazer to transfer to Indiana since Courtney Witte.

According to the Vincennes Web site, Dumes also considered Ohio State, Colorado, South Alabama and UTEP.

- By LaMond Pope, The Journal Gazette

A look at spring camp

Injuries, a suspension and players missing time for other sports made this spring a difficult one to evaluate.

Ideally, IU wanted to build on the momentum of its first bowl since 1993. But without quarterback Kellen Lewis (suspended for violating unspecified team rules), and a chunk of the offensive line (injuries) missing time, everyone will have to wait until the fall to see where the team is at.

The Hoosiers installed a no-huddle offense, which coach Bill Lynch said benefited the entire team.

“We can create tempo that we want,” he said. “What it’s really good for our defense. We had trouble with a couple of people last year who went no-huddle. To practice against it every day, you can tell in the scrimmage it didn’t faze them at all. It was good for both sides. I’m sure it’s going to be a big part of what we do in the fall.”

He was also pleased with the progress at cornerback, where the team must replace starters Tracy Porter and Leslie Majors.

“Donnell Jones, Richard Council and Adrian Burks, Bruce Hampton Chris Atkins and Chris Phillips, all those guys can play,” Lynch said.

The defense had the more complete spring, because that’s where most of the experience is at. Just how much catching up the offense has to do won’t be known until the first fall practice.

As for Lewis' status, Lynch said "From the point he was suspended, we knew he wasn’t going to be there in the spring. He has to take care of some things. Once the semester is over, we will revisit the situation.”

-         By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette