University, Sampson reach $750,000 settlement deal late on Friday

The speculation is finally over: Kelvin Sampson is finished coaching the IU men’s basketball team.\nSampson resigned his position as head coach and has been replaced by assistant coach and former Hoosier player Dan Dakich on an interim basis, IU Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan said at a Friday night press conference.\nThe Hoosiers won their first game without Sampson on Saturday, defeating Northwestern 85-82.\n“I have made the very difficult decision to leave my position as head coach of the men’s basketball team at Indiana University,” Sampson said in a statement. “While I’m saddened that I will not have the opportunity to continue to coach these student athletes, I feel that it is in the best interest of the program for me to step aside at this time.”\nAs part of the settlement, Sampson will be paid $750,000, agreeing not to file a wrongful termination lawsuit against the University. Two hundred thousand dollars of the buyout will come from IU Athletics while the remaining $550,000 will be paid by an anonymous donor.\n“I think that it was a decision that was reached quite honestly in the best interest of both parties,” Greenspan said. “What I mean is that there was not a great appetite, I don’t think, on (either) party’s part to be involved in potentially contentious litigation that I think this helps the team, the players, the University heal quicker.”\nOn Feb. 13, IU released a “Notice of Allegations” received from the NCAA regarding self-reported violations committed by Sampson and members of his coaching staff. In the notice, the NCAA upgraded the infractions reported by the University from secondary to major. IU had 90 days to formally respond to the NCAA report.\nIU President Michael McRobbie appointed Greenspan to investigate the NCAA report and give a recommendation on Sampson’s status by Friday. Because an agreement was reached, Greenspan did not have to give that recommendation to McRobbie.\n“I have accepted the resignation of Kelvin Sampson in order to put this matter behind us and allow our basketball season to move forward without these distractions,” McRobbie said in a statement released before Friday’s press conference.\nThe resignation came after two days of speculation and reports from various media outlets that Sampson would be fired. While those reports proved to be false, Greenspan did confirm reports that members of the team missed Friday’s practice to boycott the decision. According to the Bloomington Herald-Times, D.J. White, Armon Bassett, Jamarcus Ellis, DeAndre Thomas, Jordan Crawford and Brandon McGee did not attend the afternoon practice. In a press conference later that evening, Greenspan acknowledged not all of IU’s players attended practice that afternoon.\nDakich downplayed the missed practice, saying he understood the players were upset about the events surrounding Sampson’s resignation.\n“There is no chance that I was going to sit there and demand that,” Dakich said. “I have respect for 18- to 22-year-old people, always have. I push them, I yell at them, I make them crazy. I respect their opinions because they are bright people.”\nIU has signed four recruits for the 2008-09 season – two of which, Devin Ebanks and Terrell Holloway, have release provisions in their binding letter of intent if a coaching change or postseason ban occurred. Media reports have said both players are looking at their options.\n“The next challenge for this coaching staff will be to try and reach out to those young men and provide some sense of comfort and normalcy in an environment is very different than when they committed,” Greenspan said.\nSports Editor Matt Dollinger contributed to this report.