Indiana hires Dayton's Archie Miller as new coach
Dayton’s Archie Miller has accepted a seven-year contract to become Indiana’s new head coach.
The deal will be worth in the range of $4 million annually, sources said. Miller met with Dayton administrators Saturday and released a statement that he is leaving for Indiana.
“IU is one of the greatest basketball programs and academic institutions in the country and I cannot wait to get started,” Miller said in the statement. “With peerless fan support, outstanding facilities and tradition, a beautiful campus, and located in one of the most fertile recruiting areas in the country, IU is a dream destination for me and my family. I cannot wait to connect with former players, current players, and future players and all of Hoosier Nation.”
Miller just finished his sixth season at Dayton and has taken the Flyers to the past four NCAA tournaments. His record at the school is 139-63, including a 68-34 mark in the Atlantic-10. He took Dayton to the Elite Eight in 2014 as a No. 11 seed.
Indiana has not advanced to that round of the tournament since 2002.
Miller has been considered a hot commodity in the coaching ranks for several years, but turned down interest in several Power Five jobs to remain at Dayton. There has been speculation he wanted the Ohio State job, but the school chose to retain Thad Matta.
Friday night, UCLA coach and Indiana alum Steve Alford said he was “100 percent not going to Indiana.” It’s unclear whether Miller was the first choice at IU before Alford, or whether Alford declined interest in the job and Miller was the next option.
Xavier’s Chris Mack also is believed to have been on Indiana’s radar. Mack’s Musketeers play Gonzaga Thursday with a Final Four berth on the line.
“While there was great interest in this position, Archie Miller was on my short list from the very beginning,” Indiana athletics director Fred Glass said in a statement. “The more I learned about him, the more convinced I became that he is the coach we need to meet our high expectations for many years to come.”
Indiana parted ways with Tom Crean on the opening day of the NCAA tournament, after the Hoosiers missed the Big Dance for the second time in the past four years.
“Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.”
