DiNardo named 25th football coach

Former San Diego Chargers head coach Mike Riley, former LSU head coach Gerry DiNardo and South Florida's Jim Leavitt all have one thing in common: they were rumored to be up for the head coaching position for the IU football team. But Athletics Director Michael McNeely saw something in DiNardo that he didn't see in the others mentioned -- the will to win.\nMaybe McNeely noticed it while they were both on staff with Colorado in the mid-90s. Maybe it was during DiNardo's tenure at LSU where he lead the Tigers to a 29-9-1 record and three bowl wins. Or it could have been during the month long search to replace the fired Cam Cameron. Or maybe it could have been his brief stint as head coach of the XFL's Birmingham Thunderbolts. Or maybe not.\nWhatever or whenever it was, it was enough to convince McNeely to commit to his first big hire seven months into his role as athletics director. \nDiNardo was signed onto the athletics department payroll when he accepted McNeely's formal offer this morning for five years and a base salary of $225,000 a year with the possibility of bumping his paycheck up to $800,000 with incentives. \nMcNeely introduced DiNardo, his wife and child to the crowd of President Myles Brand, IU faculty members, IU football players and a media-filled section as a coach that can bring the program to the competition level of the Big Ten elite.\n"The IU football program needs a proven builder," McNeely said. "(DiNardo) is prepared to make a difference for the IU football program. He has a plan to win, and we will win with character and class."\nDiNardo then made his way to the podium of the Hoosier Room underneath Memorial Stadium, and McNeely handed him the game ball to IU's only Rose Bowl appearance in 1967. McNeely then handed him the reigns of the Hoosier football program.\n"I want to thank the IU community for entrusting me with the leadership of their football program. It certainly is an honor," DiNardo said. "I'll be a strong leader, I'll be a consistent leader and I'll be someone our team can always look to for leadership."\nDiNardo went on to mention the goal of his football program will be an educational one, saying his goal is to see everyone who suits up in an IU football uniform to walk across the graduation stage.\n"I've been on university campuses all my life, and how athletics fits with the university, how football fits with the athletics department is very important to me," he said. "I treasure working with everyone in the athletics department, because we're in the education business."\nWith the hiring of a new head coach comes the question of the coaching staff from his predecessor. As of now, no decision has been made on Cameron's former staff, but DiNardo said he would be meeting with everyone to discuss their future, including IU's current offensive coordinator Hal Hunter. Hunter served with DiNardo at Vanderbilt and LSU.\n"I'll always keep in mind that staff chemistry is of critical importance," DiNardo said. "I will move as quickly as possible, and yet deliberately enough so that we have the best possible staff we can put together."\nAnother issue of critical importance is recruiting. With very little time remaining in the recruiting period, DiNardo said he would start the search for new Hoosiers as soon as he gets into his new surroundings.\n"We recruit everyday," he said. "There isn't a day where we do not recruit."\nThen there was the question of the dwindling attendance at Memorial Stadium on fall Saturday afternoons. But DiNardo gave the same response many have given before him -- if you win, they will come. \nAfter a few questions from the media, a couple of television interviews and a little bit of schmoozing with other IU officials and coaches, DiNardo made his way to the auditorium on the east side of the stadium to meet with his new team.\nAccording to running back Jeremi Johnson, the new coach's will-to-win attitude came off clearly.\n"Coach talked about working out everyday and stressed going to class," Johnson said. "He's hard-nosed and gets his point across. You could tell that."\nDiNardo expressed his commitment to the challanges ahead.\n"IU has my mind, my heart and every fiber in my body," DiNardo said.