Dan Dakich

Last updated
Dan Dakich
Biographical details
Born (1962-08-17) August 17, 1962 (age 62)
Gary, Indiana, U.S.
Playing career
1981–1985 Indiana
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1985–1997Indiana (assistant)
1997–2007 Bowling Green
2008Indiana (interim HC)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2007–2008Indiana (DBO)
Head coaching record
Overall159–144
Tournaments0–1 (NCAA Division I)
0–2 (NIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
MAC regular season (2000)
Awards
Indiana Basketball Hall Of Fame (2024)

Daniel John Dakich (born August 17, 1962) is an American basketball sportscaster. He is a former player, assistant coach, interim head coach for the Indiana University Hoosiers former head coach at Bowling Green State University and a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall Of Fame. He currently is the host of Don't @ Me for OutKick.com. [1]

Contents

Playing career

Dakich attended Andrean High School in Merrillville, Indiana. He elected to play basketball for Indiana under coach Bob Knight from 1981 to 1985. He was a team captain during his junior and senior seasons and the Hoosiers finished with an 84–39 (.683) record during his career. [2] As a player, he helped Indiana win one Big Ten title (during the 1982–83 season), earn three NCAA Tournament berths and finish as the NIT runner-up his senior season. As a junior, he was named All-Tournament at the Indiana Classic and as a senior he earned similar accolades at the Hoosier Classic.

Dakich is remembered for his defensive effort against Michael Jordan in Indiana's upset of No. 1 ranked North Carolina in the 1984 East Regional semifinal of the NCAA tournament. It was Dakich's sixth start of the year, but Knight assigned him to guard Jordan the afternoon of the game. Knight told him, "Just don't let him dunk on you. That will embarrass you and me both." [3] Dakich commented, "I went back to my room and threw up." [3] Dakich held Jordan to 13 points (6.6 below his season average) [4] in Indiana's 72–68 victory, although Jordan spent most of the 2nd half on the bench in foul trouble, with both players ultimately fouling out in what would be Jordan's final college game. [5]

Coaching career

Assistant coach

Dakich was first a graduate assistant coach at Indiana under Bob Knight from 1985–87 and then an assistant coach at Indiana from 1987 to 1997.

Dakich was the academic monitor on the Indiana basketball staff his last seven years and, under his guidance, every four-year player on the program graduated. [6] He also assisted in the development of six All-Americas and three national Player of the Year candidates, including 1993 Player of the Year Calbert Cheaney.

Head coach

From 1997 to 2007 he served as the head coach at Bowling Green State University where he compiled a record of 156–140 (.527). He coached one player who signed a professional contract[ citation needed ], former Indiana Pacers guard Keith McLeod. During Dakich's tenure, BGSU never made it to the NCAA tournament. Dakich had losing seasons in four of his last five years with BGSU, and resigned as head coach in 2007. [7]

Briefly in 2002, Dakich was named head basketball coach at West Virginia University (WVU) to succeed Gale Catlett. When Dakich learned that people affiliated with the basketball program may have been guilty of NCAA recruiting rules infractions, he returned to Bowling Green as head basketball coach after only a week at WVU. [8] WVU voluntarily reported results of its internal investigation to the NCAA, and the university was not penalized as a result of the infractions. The focus of the investigation, Jonathan Hargett, was banned from WVU athletics for his role in the reported violations. [9]

At the end of the 2008 season he served as the interim head coach at Indiana University, following Kelvin Sampson's resignation due to NCAA recruiting violations. [10] Under Dakich's guidance, the Hoosiers went 0–2 in postseason play, losing in the first rounds of the Big 10 and NCAA tournaments. After the season, IU declined to offer Dakich the job and hired Tom Crean.

Television and radio career

Dakich was the host of "The Dan Dakich Show" [11] on Indianapolis radio station WFNI, ESPN radio affiliate, 1070 The Fan. Dakich served as a college basketball studio analyst for the Big Ten Network for the 2009–2010 college basketball season. Beginning in November 2010, Dakich joined ESPN as a college basketball color commentator and studio analyst, replacing Steve Lavin.

Dakich is current hosting midday on WXNT 1430 Indianapolis


Relationship with Bob Knight

Dakich spent 16 years with Knight, four as a player and twelve as an assistant. Dakich said that the reason he stayed so long was because Knight had promised him that he would be Knight's successor at IU. [12] Prior to Knight's death however, their relationship had deteriorated. In 2017, Dakich said that he had 'lost all respect' for Knight after Knight failed to attend a ceremony honoring the undefeated 1976 IU basketball team. [13]

Controversy

In October 2019, Dakich was suspended from his show for failing "to adhere to the journalistic principles valued by" Emmis Communications, which owns WFNI. [14]

In March 2020, Dakich responded to the firing of Scottsburg (IN) High School basketball coach Brent Jameson by "calling a player a 'methhead', urging listeners to go 'take a dump' in Scottsburg and threatening, 'I may just drive down there and beat the hell out of every school board member.'" He also called Scottsburg "a town full of 'meth and AIDS and needles'". Dakich responded by saying, "Tone is important people. . . . Sometimes you can’t get tone out of newspaper articles and things. Sometimes what's funny when said or trying to be funny doesn't come across." [15]

According to reporter Ian Kennedy, Dakich criticized Dr. Nathan Kalman-Lamb and Dr. Johanna Mellis, co-hosts of The End of Sport podcast, using "sexist and misogynistic" language for their discussion of the ways college athletes are mistreated and exploited. Dakich reportedly called Kalman-Lamb "a d-bag" and declined "'going at it' in a pool with Dr. Mellis, saying that if he did, because it was a public place, he’d 'have to get divorced'". [16] [17]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Bowling Green Falcons (Mid-American Conference)(1997–2007)
1997–98 Bowling Green 10–167–118th
1998–99 Bowling Green 18–1012–64th
1999–00 Bowling Green 22–814–41st NIT first round
2000–01 Bowling Green 15–1410–87th
2001–02 Bowling Green 24–912–63rd NIT first round
2002–03 Bowling Green 13–168–109th
2003–04 Bowling Green 14–178–107th
2004–05 Bowling Green 18–1110–88th
2005–06 Bowling Green 9–215–1310th
2006–07 Bowling Green 13–183–1312th
Bowling Green:156–140 (.527)89–89 (.500)
Indiana Hoosiers (Big Ten Conference)(2007–2008)
2007–08 Indiana 3–43–23rd NCAA Division I Round of 64
Indiana:3–4 (.429)3–2 (.600)
Total:159–144 (.525)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Personal

Dakich married his first wife Jackie in 1990 and they divorced in 2012. They have two children together, Andrew and Laura. [18] In 2015 Dakich married Leigh (Ross) Dakich. [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Knight</span> American basketball coach (1940–2023)

Robert Montgomery Knight was an American men's college basketball coach. Often referred to as Bobby Knight and nicknamed "the General", he won 902 NCAA Division I men's basketball games, a record at the time of his retirement and sixth all-time record at the time of his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Alford</span> American basketball player and coach (born 1964)

Stephen Todd Alford is an American men's college basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach for the Nevada Wolf Pack of the Mountain West Conference (MWC). Born and raised in Indiana, he was a two-time consensus first-team All-American playing in college for the Indiana Hoosiers. He led them to a national championship in 1987. After playing professionally for four years in the National Basketball Association (NBA), he has been a college head coach for over 30 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Woodson</span> American basketball player and coach (born 1958)

Michael Dean Woodson is an American basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall</span> Basketball arena at Indiana University Bloomington

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, is a 17,222-seat arena on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. It is the home of the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball and women's basketball teams. It opened in 1971, replacing the "New" IU Fieldhouse. The court is named after Branch McCracken, the men's basketball coach who led the school to its first two NCAA National Championships in 1940 and 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calbert Cheaney</span> American basketball player

Calbert Nathaniel Cheaney is an American basketball coach and former player who serves as Director of player development for the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball of the Big Ten. He starred as a player for the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball from 1989 to 1993 under coach Bob Knight. Cheaney ended his career as a three-time All-American and remains the Big Ten's all-time leading scorer with 2,613 career points. He led Indiana to a 105–27 record and the NCAA Tournament all four years, including a Final Four appearance in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indiana Hoosiers</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Indiana University Bloomington

The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the demonym for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 24 sports and became a member of the Big Ten Conference on December 1, 1899. The school's official colors are cream and crimson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Davis (basketball, born 1960)</span> American basketball player and coach (born 1960)

Michael Davis is an American basketball coach at the University of Memphis. Prior to that he was most recently the head men's basketball coach at the University of Detroit Mercy, a position he held from 2018 to 2024. Davis also served as the head men's basketball coach at Indiana University Bloomington from 2000 to 2006, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) from 2006 to 2012, and Texas Southern University from 2012 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quinn Buckner</span> American basketball player and coach

William Quinn Buckner is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiate basketball for the Indiana University Hoosiers, and won a national championship in 1976. He was a captain of both the last undefeated NCAA Division I basketball champion and the 1976 Olympics gold medal team. Buckner was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 7th pick of the 1976 NBA draft. He had a ten-year NBA career for three teams. In 1984, he won an NBA title with the Celtics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelvin Sampson</span> American basketball coach (born 1955)

Kelvin Dale Sampson is an American college basketball coach, currently the head coach for the University of Houston of the Big 12 Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Crean (basketball)</span> American college basketball coach

Thomas Aaron Crean is a college basketball coach. Most recently, he was the head coach for the University of Georgia men's basketball team. Crean was previously the head coach of Indiana University. Prior to that, he served as head coach at Marquette University (1999–2008), where his team reached the 2003 NCAA Final Four.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team of Indiana University Bloomington

The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I college basketball and competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Hoosiers play at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on the Branch McCracken Court in Bloomington, Indiana on the Indiana University Bloomington campus. Indiana has won five National Championships in men's basketball – two coming under Branch McCracken and three under Bob Knight. For forty-seven years and counting, Indiana's 1976 squad remains the last undefeated NCAA men's basketball champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007–08 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2007–08 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University during the 2007-08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Indiana was a member of the Big Ten Conference. They played their home games in Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana. The interim head coach at the end of the season was Dan Dakich. Indiana University announced on February 22, 2008, that Kelvin Sampson accepted a $750,000 buyout of his contract and resigned as the Indiana University men's basketball coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indiana Hoosiers baseball</span> American college baseball team

The Indiana Hoosiers baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate athletic team of Indiana University Bloomington in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. The team competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I and are members of the Big Ten Conference. The team plays at Bart Kaufman Field, which opened for the 2013 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011–12 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2011–12 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University in the 2011–12 college basketball season. Their head coach was Tom Crean, in his fourth season with the Hoosiers. The team played its home games at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season 27–9 overall and 11–7 in Big Ten play. They advanced to the second round of the 2012 Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament before falling to Wisconsin. They received an at-large bid in the 2012 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament where they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before falling to eventual champion Kentucky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indiana–Kentucky rivalry</span> College sports rivalry

The Indiana–Kentucky rivalry is a college sports rivalry between the Indiana University Hoosiers and the University of Kentucky Wildcats. The rivalry between these two schools, located about 180 miles (290 km) apart, dates to their first college football game in 1893, and has continued across all sports, with the men's basketball series gaining particular attention. The football game was previously played for a wooden Bourbon Barrel trophy, which was discontinued in 1999.

The 2011 Indiana vs. Kentucky men's basketball game was a college basketball game between the Hoosiers of Indiana University Bloomington and Wildcats of the University of Kentucky who was ranked number 1 in the nation. A rivalry game between the two schools, this game was held at Assembly Hall on Indiana's campus. In an upset victory that was considered a turning point for the Hoosiers program, unranked Indiana defeated top-ranked Kentucky 73–72 on a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Christian Watford, which was nicknamed the "Watshot".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020–21 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2020–21 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach was Archie Miller, in his fourth and final year as Indiana head coach. The team played its home games at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Hoosiers finished the season 12–15, 7–12 in Big Ten play to finish in a tie for the 10th place. As the No. 10 seed in the Big Ten tournament, they lost in the first round to Rutgers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Landon Turner (basketball)</span> American basketball player

Landon Montel Turner is an American former basketball player. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers and won an NCAA championship as a junior in 1981. Hoosiers head coach Bob Knight considered Turner to have the potential to be the best player he ever coached. Primed for a breakthrough senior season and considered a top National Basketball Association (NBA) draft pick, Turner's basketball career came to an end when he was paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident in July 1981. He stayed with the Hoosiers as a team captain during the 1981–82 season before the Boston Celtics honored Turner by selecting him as the final pick of the 1982 NBA draft. He played wheelchair basketball for three years before he embarked on a career as a motivational speaker. Turner is a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021–22 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2021–22 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were led by first-year head coach, and former Indiana standout, Mike Woodson. The team played its home games at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The season officially kicked off with the annual event, Hoosier Hysteria, on October 2, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Dakich</span> American basketball coach

Andrew Dakich is an American former basketball player and current college basketball coach on the staff at Illinois State as an assistant. He has previously served on the staff at Elon and Ohio State. He played college basketball at Michigan for parts of three season plus a redshirt season before a graduate transfer season at Ohio State. He was part of two Big Ten Conference champions at Michigan. He played varsity basketball for Zionsville Community High School. Dakich scored the gamewinning points in Zionsville's first Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) basketball sectional game win. He is the son and grandson of NCAA Division I basketball players.

References

  1. "Dan Dakich out as Indy sports radio host at 107.5 the Fan".
  2. "Dan Dakich". Indiana University Athletics. Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Hammel, Bob (1999). Glory of Old IU . United States: Sports Publishing Inc. ISBN   1-58261-068-1.
  4. "Michael Jordan College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  5. "North Carolina vs. Indiana Box Score, March 22, 1984".
  6. "Dan Dakich Named Director of Men's Basketball Operations at Indiana". Indiana University.
  7. "Bowling Green coach Dakich resigns after 10 seasons". espn.com. March 13, 2007.
  8. Smizik, Bob (April 15, 2002). "Smizik: WVU better off without Dakich". Post-gazette.com. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  9. "West Virginia suspends four players in internal probe". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. June 21, 2002. Archived from the original on October 29, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  10. "Indiana, Sampson reach $750,000 settlement to part ways". espn.com. February 23, 2008. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  11. "The Dan Dakich Show". WFNI. Archived from the original on December 26, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  12. Dan Patrick Show (2019-04-04), Why Former Indiana Player & Assistant Dan Dakich Can't Stand Bob Knight | The Dan Patrick Show , retrieved 2019-05-06
  13. Gaines, Cork. "Former Indiana player and coach calls Bob Knight a 'miserable human being' and says he has 'lost respect for him'". Business Insider. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
  14. "Dan Dakich suspended for failure of 'journalistic principles'". 247Sports. Retrieved 2021-02-27.
  15. Benbow, Dana Hunsinger. "Dan Dakich under investigation for comments on Scottsburg basketball coach firing". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2021-02-27.
  16. "Line Change: "One Bad Apple Spoils The Bunch"". Chatham-Kent Sports Network. 2021-02-27. Retrieved 2021-02-27.
  17. Wolken, Dan. "ESPN 'looking into' college basketball analyst Dan Dakich's controversial comments". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  18. "Dan Dakich". Playerswiki. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
  19. "Dan Dakich gets married and he's giddy about it". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2019-05-06.