STEVE ALFORD
Occupation: Iowa head coach

Odds: 5-1

Why he would be hired: A theme among the Indiana fan boards is, "This is job he was born to do!" As if upon Alford’s birth, a star appeared over his manger, attracting three wise coaches to come bearing gifts of a basketball, clipboard and whistle.

Alford is everything a 6-foot Hoosier farm boy dreams of being — Mr. Basketball in high school and a champion for Indiana University in college.

Why he wouldn’t be hired: The 6-foot Hoosier farm boy ideal went out when the Indiana Pacers made Damon Bailey a pity pick in the second round — their second second-round pick —in the 1994 NBA draft.

Plus, there’s the salient issue of Alford’s record at Iowa (.a 584 winning percentage) being worse than Davis’ at Indiana (.596). And then there’s his infamous protection of sexual-assaulter Pierre Pierce.

Oh, and there’s the issue of Alford being not exactly the humble farm boy he’s thought to be, if you can believe the ESPN report that Alford would take the Indiana job only if it "made clear that he was the guy."

ANY FORMER INDIANA PLAYER NOT NAMED STEVE ALFORD
Odds: 7-1

Why he would be hired: The week before his resignation press conference, Davis issued a preliminary sigh of resignation when he said during a Big Ten conference call that "Indiana needs one of their own" to coach.

If not Alford, Indiana has plenty of homegrown candidates. Among the ex-Hoosier players that popped up in the Bloomington Herald-Times’ online survey of who fans want to succeed Davis: Damon Bailey, Keith Smart, Quinn Buckner, Dan Dakich (the only person, other than Dean Smith, to lock down Michael Jordan at North Carolina) and — ISIAH THOMAS? I don’t care if it’s an unscientific poll — those 54 fans (out of 2,182) who picked Thomas as their first choice need to be punished. I say, give them Knicks season tickets.

Anyway, the ex-Hoosiers most seriously mentioned are current Orlando Magic assistant Randy Wittman and Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Woodson, both of whom have had lousy records as pro coaches. Then again, so did Pete Carroll.

Why he wouldn’t be hired: Staying in the family is not a sure-fire path to success. See also, Matt Doherty.

THAD MATTA
Occupation: Ohio State head coach

Odds: 12-1

Why he would be hired: Matta in the past has called Indiana his dream job. Indiana fans surely fantasize that Matta would leave Columbus and take with them what’s only been declared the bestest, dreamiest recruiting class ever. Then, Indianapolis native Greg Oden and his merry men would come skipping into town, spreading fairy dust and making Bloomington a magical place where everyone always smiles, and rainbows carry chocolates and gumdrops.

Why he wouldn’t be hired: Unless Ohio State is put on NCAA probation next season for past, non-Matta-related misdeeds, Matta isn’t going to give up this class to deal with whatever’s left of Indiana’s program after Davis leaves, even if his wife would like to be near her family, living amongst the Mellencamps in nearby Seymour.

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