Indiana Basketball: Dan Dakich talks Hoosiers, Romeo Langford

Former Indiana coach Dan Dakich has been extremely vocal when it comes to Indiana basketball and their success or struggles, especially this past year.

The interim head coach for the Hoosiers back in 2008, Dan Dakich is always one of the most outspoken commentators – now working for ESPN – when it comes to Indiana basketball.

Whether it be on the call during games or on twitter, Dakich never holds back. Once again, he was out in the public eye, and had some input on the struggles the Hoosiers had a season ago.

“I just think the whole thing with Romeo and the team didn’t work out. I can’t explain why. It’s nobody’s fault. It’s weird. I think they played like a looser, freer team without him.” Dakich told Mike Hutton of the Chicago Tribune. “I think they’ll be better next year”.

The Hoosiers who started the season off 12-2, went on to lose seven games in a row and 12 of 13 into late February, before ending the season on a bit of a winning streak, still falling just short of the NCAA Tournament.

“I don’t think they lost 12 of 13 because of injuries,” Dakich continued in the article. “Juwan Morgan wasn’t out. Romeo wasn’t out. They just didn’t play well. That falls on the coaching staff and players.”

While Injuries definitely weren’t the downfall of the Indiana season, they undoubtably contributed to it. Without four-star and top-60 recruit Jerome Hunter for the entire season, the Hoosiers’ offensive plans were already halted without his versatility. Add in the mixed bag of nagging injuries that caused Rob Phinisee, Devonte Green, De’Ron Davis, Zach McRoberts, Race Thompson, Jake Forrester and eventually Langford to miss multiple games throughout the season, and that’s not an easy task to overcome.

Shooting just 31.2 percent from three on the season, Dakich pointed out the many times that the Hoosiers failed to find ways to get the ball in the post, and especially to Juwan Morgan.

“They didn’t do anything innovative…. They had a post man, but they were spotty at best at getting him the ball.”

Indiana still had an opportunity to make it to the NCAA Tournament though, with a ‘win-and-you’re-in’ type game in the second-round of the Big Ten tournament against Ohio State, but failed to play with the energy and passion that they needed for most of the second half.

Miller, who is 35-31 in his two seasons at Indiana, faces a year in what seems like a must make of the NCAA Tournament in order to keep the fan base as well as athletic administration satisfied with his progress.

“At some point, Indiana has to win and win big to keep the interest up,” Dakich said. “They’ve got too much invested in (Miller). They’ll give him a full year and probably a couple more years.”