Open Opportunity

THE FAVORITE: STEVE ALFORD | IOWA\nFueled by Davis' suggestion that IU fans need "one of their own" two days after the Hoosiers lost to Iowa, the Hawkeyes' basketball coach tops the growing list of potential replacements. Alford, a native of Franklin, Ind., and former Indiana Mr. Basketball, led IU to its last NCAA Championship in 1987. In his seventh season in Iowa City, Alford's team is currently in first place in the Big Ten. Though Alford's name has been widely mentioned, the coach said he is centered on this season with the Hawkeyes. "My complete focus and efforts are to help my team win a Big Ten Championship," Alford said in a statement. "That's my only concern." \nTHE LIKELY CANDIDATES: DAN DAKICH | BGSU\nLike Alford, Dakich is a former IU player but has only coached one winning season in the past four years at Bowling Green State University. Dakich was a player and coach under Bob Knight, leaving many hoping Dakich could bring back some of The General's spark. \nRICK MAJERUS | ESPN\nNow an analyst for ESPN, Majerus knows what it takes to coach a powerhouse. Majerus was brilliant in 14 years at the University of Utah, but health concerns forced him to back out of a contract with the University of Southern California in 2004 without coaching a game. \nTOM CREAN | MARQUETTE\nCrean proved he is able to transition from a mid-major to a large conference by leading Marquette to a 17-8 record in its first season in the Big East. Crean's biggest victory this year came when his Golden Eagles knocked off then-No. 2 Connecticut with a 94-79 home win.\nTHE LONG SHOT: DANE FIFE | IPFW\nA player under both Knight and Davis, and Davis' former staffer, Fife is the head coach of IU-Purdue University Fort Wayne. In his first season, Fife's squad has a 7-17 record thus far, equaling last year's win total, with four games left to play. The Mastadons' biggest victory came in Terre Haute with a win over Indiana State University, a team IU lost to in December. "I made a commitment here at IPFW," Fife said in a phone interview. "I don't think, at this point in my career, I am prepared for the Indiana job. I wouldn't expect Mr. Greenspan to call me"