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Foregone conclusion Texas Tech A.D. will recommend Knight to president
Updated: Thursday March 22, 2001 12:36 PM
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Bob Knight will be offered Texas Tech's head coaching job Friday following a whirlwind courtship that began four days before Tech fired James Dickey. Texas Tech spokeswoman Cindy Rugeley said athletic director Gerald Myers told her he would recommend Knight, his friend of 30 years, for the job. Tech president David Schmidly said Wednesday he would follow Myers' recommendation. Late Wednesday night, Schmidly said he received Myers' written recommendation but wouldn't disclose the contents. "I didn't know that he had made his recommendation, but I don't think anything has happened that would change his mind," Rugeley said Wednesday night. She said she fully anticipated Thursday's tasks would include calling a news conference for Friday. Knight can be named as Tech's head coach as soon as a 10-day waiting period expires at 2 p.m. Friday. Dickey was fired on March 9. "Gerald Myers told me this afternoon that he was going to recommend that Bob Knight be hired," Rugely said. Schmidly seemed to be in agreement with Myers' recommendation following a rather tame faculty senate meeting that was expected to bring vehement opposition, but instead brought a discourse about how Knight would fit into the university and how the university would handle any misbehavior. "What better thing could happen for Texas Tech," Schmidly said of Knight coming to Tech following the hour-long meeting. "I like the fact that he doesn't violate NCAA rules and that's the way he chooses to win," Schmidly said. "We've had a problem with NCAA penalties. And that's set this institution back. We don't ever want to be on the wrong side of the NCAA rules again." Schmidly also said he expects the respect and admiration Knight has for Myers to prevent any outbursts like those reported during the coach's 29 years at Indiana. "If the incidents that happened at Indiana were to be repeated, I would have to terminate coach Knight," the president told about 50 faculty members at the meeting. Knight, 60, was fired from Indiana last fall after he grabbed a student's arm. Indiana officials said the act violated a zero-tolerance behavior policy. "One thing that has weighed closely in my mind is his respect and admiration for my athletic director," Schmidly said. Myers wouldn't say what his recommendation was, but one of Tech's regents earlier this week said if he was to make a bet he would bet on Knight being named by week's end. Once Schmidly approves Myers' recommendation, Tech chancellor John Montford will be asked to concur -- an action that is seen merely as a formality. Montford then would be responsible for informing Tech's Board of Regents. The regents can approve or disapprove of any hire, but lack the power to veto. Houston television station KRIV reported Wednesday that Knight had called Bellaire High School head coach Dave Hudek to let him know he wanted forward Emeka Okafor to visit Tech and hopes to sign him. Hudek said Knight told him they were trying to "get this thing done by Friday" and he was excited to talk about Okafor. About 100 of the university's 900 faculty members have signed a petition criticizing Knight's behavior and advising against his hiring. During the meeting, faculty members asked questions about whether Knight would be treated differently from other faculty members, how university officials would handle any misbehavior, and how hiring such a controversial figure could affect the university's image. "My concern is even before the man is named, there is controversy," said Marc Giccardo, an assistant professor of architecture. "I don't know coach Knight, but I wanted to let you know that there are coaching alternatives to what coach Knight has represented in many venues and we've seen physically." During a meeting with Knight and his wife, Schmidly said he talked with Knight about his behavior. Schmidly said Knight spoke of new coaching strategies he would like to put into play and said he wasn't proud of some of his responses in the past. "This is a decision that is going to boil down to what do you feel here," Schmidly told faculty members, placing his fist over his heart. "This is a decision that boils down to what do you feel in your gut and your heart. And I am responsible for that decision." Myers and Schmidly contacted Knight four days before Dickey's firing. Knight has been the only candidate publicly mentioned as a successor to Dickey. Schmidly said a list of 10 other candidates has been drawn up but many on the list are in the middle of the NCAA tournament and it wouldn't be proper to contact them while in the middle of competition. Knight has said he finds Texas Tech "very appealing." "I think he really is a person looking for a fresh start," Schmidly said. "He thinks Texas is one of the best places to recruit." The president noted another plus from Knight's four-day campus visit last week. "Even the sandstorm didn't bother him," Schmidly said.
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