Fans love a fresh face

The IU basketball season began Friday, Nov. 7, but even well before the game, Coach Tom Crean was anything but an unknown face. Far from it – students and fans think he is the best coach IU has had since Bob Knight.

His work on the court is impressive, but his efforts off it are making him famous among students.

David Burkart, a junior in the telecommunications department, said Crean has made it a point to build up and mobilize the student fanbase. In doing so, people have begun to peg Crean as an enthusiastic, exciting coach with a great personality.

Holly Koski, a freshman majoring in sports marketing, said Crean will renew  faith in the basketball program and bring it out of “the depths of college basketball.”

Jeremy Blaylock, a freshman majoring in elementary education, echoed Koski’s sentiments, adding that Crean brings with him years of experience coaching, which will help a team that has fallen from its glory days.

“The alumni have faith in him,” said Josh Warren, a freshman majoring in English, who gave Crean’s time at Marquette University as an example of how the coach will bring IU basketball back to “old times.”

And Crean is expected to do this primarily through discipline. Burkart said that unlike coaches in the past, Crean will not put up with behavioral problems from his players.
“He’s going to deal with kids that aren’t bringing their A-game,” Burkart said.

“If they weren’t getting the glory, they weren’t caring during practice,” Warren added. “Coach Crean is going to change that.”

“He’s just got a lot of charisma for both basketball and IU,” Koski said.

Crean is also “unscripted and outspoken,” Burkart said, an attitude he finds refreshing.

“He’s like a politician in the way he’s getting his name out. There’s no BS with him.”
With Crean’s credentials and experience, the question that comes to mind is how well the team will really perform. Thanks to Crean, most students are still optimistic.

Warren said he doesn’t think the team will be as bad this year and actually doesn’t expect the team to have the losing record everyone is worrying about. Due to Crean’s influence, Warren said in a few years he expects IU will again be a serious contender in the Big Ten.

The fact that fans have more faith than the pundits is reassuring to Koski, who agreed that IU basketball has a lot more prestige left in it than the “experts” give credit for.
In light of all the praise, Crean had something to say.

“I am honored and humbled by this accolade. Every day, I feel how privileged I am to serve this great University as its men’s basketball coach.”