Dakich is right man to help Hoosiers pick up pieces

Who is Dan Dakich?

He's more than a coach, more than an Indiana graduate, more than a former player whose defensive performance against Michael Jordan in 1984 NCAA East Regional game etched his name into Hoosier lore 'til the end of time.

It is Dan Dakich's job to keep the Hoosiers focused. (AP)

As a student at Bowling Green State University, I spent three years covering Dakich -- and it was a wild ride to say the least.

It was also one of the most fun times of my life.

Dakich, a product of Bobby Knight school of hardassness who spent 12 years as an assistant under The General, was never afraid to speak his mind. No matter if it were me or Frank Deford asking questions, Dakich always kept you on your toes.

But Dakich treated me with respect -- he even bestowed the nickname "Stella baby" on me -- and didn't view me as just a student reporter. I had a job to do and so did he, and over time, we developed a friendship.

During my tenure, his teams won and sparked sellouts at BG's Anderson Arena. Though it's not a massive coliseum like some college venues, Anderson's 5,000 fans were always loud and rowdy, and believe me, it was as deafening as any sporting event I've attended.

At the end of my final year covering the team, Dakich invited me to the team banquet and honored me by speaking highly about our time together in front of 200 people.

It still is one of the greatest thrills of my life.

When Dakich and BG parted ways after last season, I was sad to see him go, but in the end, college athletics is business, and it's the business he has chosen. Whenever I was on campus, I would stop by and say hello and the man was never too busy to welcome me into his office to bust my chops.

But now, my friend has a tough task ahead of him.

Some would say Dakich took the Gerald Ford rout to the head of the bench -- Dakich was first hired in June as the director of basketball operations before taking an assistant job in October and eventually being promoted to interim head coach after Sampson's departure.

With that aside, Dakich is without a doubt the right man right now for Indiana.

Will he be the Hoosiers' coach next year? It's doubtful, barring a deep tournament run. Indiana has a solid team, one capable of winning the Big Ten and making a mad dash in March.

For now, Dakich is the glue needed to keep this team together and focused. He is now front and center in the national sports media world and his each and every move will be viewed under a microscope from all sides involved.

Though I never asked him, I am certain Dakich always wanted to be the top dog at the school where he spent 16 years. This, of course, is not the way he or anyone would want to start Part 2 of a head coaching career.

It's time for the Hoosiers to stand behind Dakich.

It's time for the school, fans and community to start healing.

It's time to buckle down, play physical, D up and not make mental errors.

That's the Bob Knight way.

And now, it's the Dan Dakich way.