Fansided

5 potential replacements for Tom Crean at Indiana

By Rob Wolkenbrod

Mar 4, 2017; Columbus, OH, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Tom Crean during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena. Indiana won 96-92. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Columbus, OH, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Tom Crean during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena. Indiana won 96-92. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
March 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford watches game action against the Washington Huskies during the first half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
March 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford watches game action against the Washington Huskies during the first half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Steve Alford

Steve Alford is the head coach of UCLA, probably one of the best college basketball jobs in the country, so why would he leave?

Alford is an all-time great around Indiana after his four-year playing career there from 1983-87. He was at the heart of those rough Bob Knight teams, including in 1987 with the National Championship win in the former All-American’s senior year.

A return to Indiana would make too much sense for Alford. The chance is there for him to bring more success to the basketball program and hope back after stalling in the Sweet 16 or failing to make the postseason during Tom Crean’s run. That doesn’t make the 52-year-old a guarantee to do this, though, after only going as far as the Sweet 16 since his Division-I coaching career began in 1995.

What goes in favor of Alford is the work he’s done rising up the ladder. He turned around Iowa in the early 2000’s, made New Mexico relevant for a handful of years and followed up on that success by going to UCLA and making two straight Sweet 16s. Factor in the stellar recruiting work he did to get a 15-17 team out of the gutter too, which includes Lonzo Ball and TJ Leaf. Will that translate to getting players to come to Indiana?

Could Indiana go for the familiar face? It makes sense to do, along with having the coaching success to back it up. Giving up UCLA could be difficult for Alford to do, though, which is obviously a decision he’d have to make if the Hoosiers decide they want to hand him the job.

Next: 12 Biggest Cinderellas In March Madness History

The list of potential replacements for Tom Crean at Indiana will likely be long. Who is the best choice to become the head coach, though?