IU's Davis will hold tryouts for walk-ons

By Stan Sutton ,
Herald-Times Sports Editor
Indiana basketball coach Mike Davis said he will hold tryouts for potential walk-on players next season.





The Hoosiers haven't held such tryouts for decades, probably dating back to Branch McCracken's coaching era that ended in 1965. McCracken used to welcome students who wanted to try out for the team and around 100 of them sometimes reported.

"We're going to open it up to all the students. Whoever makes it makes it," said Davis, who is conducting basketball camps this month on campus. "It's going to be an open deal. That way it's fair to everybody who's trying out."

Indiana had three walk-on players last season, freshmen Scott May of Bloomington, Ryan Tapak of Indianapolis and Mark Johnson of Oregon, Wisconsin.

Davis declined to comment on reports that the three won't return to the Hoosiers next fall, but did say former walk-ons won't be assured of a position on the team.

Last year's three walk-ons were guards. However, Davis' cupboard of guards is full this year with Tom Coverdale, Kyle Hornsby, A.J. Moye and Donald Perry returning to the backcourt. Newcomers Roderick Wilmont, Marshall Strickland and Bracey Wright also are guards or swingmen.

"Our needs this year will be different than last year," Davis said. "If you're 6-7 or 6-8 and wanted to walk on your chances are greater."

The third-year Indiana coach said any candidates will have to be cleared through the NCAA and added that one good day of practice won't be enough to earn a position on the 2002-03 Hoosiers.

"We'll bring them in and work them out just like we do our other players in individual workouts. It won't be a one-day deal, it'll be about two weeks," he said. "They'll have a two-week period to prove they can play."

Individual workouts already are conducted by players and coaches before the official opening of practices in mid-October.

Hoosiers who walked on have been rare in recent decades. Former coach Bob Knight did turn briefly to a pair of scholarship football players, Antwaan Randle El and Ross Hales. Knight's last walk-on was Tom Geyer.