Auburn may want Davis

IU coach Mike Davis is on the list of Auburn University's replacements for former head coach Cliff Ellis, who was fired Thursday, The Mobile (Ala.) Register has reported.\nDavis, a former Mr. Basketball for the state of Alabama, could not be reached for comment on Monday night.\nIf Auburn is interested in Davis, IU athletics director Terry Clapacs said he would be the first at IU to know.\nAs of Monday night, Clapacs said he had not been asked permission by Auburn to speak with Davis. He had talked to Davis after the basketball season was over and said all they talked about was next season.\nClapacs said he thinks Davis' name is automatically thrown out there for the Auburn job because he is from Alabama.\n"He was a very popular player at (the University of Alabama)," Clapacs said. "He was a very popular high school player. Down there he's certainly well known and respected."\nWhen asked what Clapacs would do if Auburn does contact him to speak with Davis, he only said he would cross that bridge when he comes to it.\nEllis had been Auburn's coach for the past 10 years and led them to a 186-125 overall record, while Davis just finished his fourth season as coach and led the Hoosiers to a 14-15 season record, their first losing season since 1969-70.\nDavis and IU reached a contract agreement in May 2002. The six-year agreement gave Davis a base salary of $225,000 with $25,000 in deferred compensation annually. Outside promotions and marketing would add an additional guaranteed $550,000.\nOther incentives to Davis' contract are based on Big Ten Championship performance, NCAA Tournament performance and team academic performance. \nAssistant coach John Treloar said he was out of town for spring break and hadn't talked to Davis about leaving. He said he saw Davis' name mentioned with the Auburn situation and was surprised.\nDavis' wife, Tamilya, said she would not comment on anything.\nMen's basketball sports information director Pete Rhoda said all he would comment on was the fact that Auburn had not contacted Clapacs about Davis. Rhoda said the protocol in coach searching is that it's all speculation until they are contacted.\nClapacs did say he has been contacted from schools about Treloar. \nTreloar was reached by phone on Monday night and said he interviewed earlier in the day in Dallas for a job at Southern Methodist University. He said the interview went well and that he appreciated the opportunity to speak with the athletic director about the program.\nTreloar has also been approached by Southern Mississippi.\n"It's hard to even think about what it would be like going into basketball season not competing as a Hoosier," Treloar said.\nTreloar said he doesn't think anyone can fault him for wanting to lead and build a program himself. He loves Indiana basketball, he said, and loves having the chance to compete for national championships each year at IU, but that it's no secret that he wants to be head coach again.\nPrior to arriving to Bloomington in 1997, Treloar had spent the previous six seasons as a head coach with CBA teams the Chicago Rockers, Wichita Falls Texans and Connecticut Pride.\nTreloar said he believes his friends and colleagues will support him in whatever direction he goes as far as the upcoming season. A decision at SMU could be reached within the next four or five days, Treloar said.\n"I'm honored that there are programs and AD's out there that feel like I'm someone that they would strongly consider to lead their programs," Treloar said.\nAs far as how the loss of either IU coach would effect the basketball program at Indiana, Clapacs said he could not speculate.\n"Coach Davis is our coach," Clapacs said. "He's under contract until 2007-2008. Next year is our focus."\n-- Contact staff writer Natalie A. Trout at natrout@indiana.edu.\nIDS staff writers Gavin Lesnick and John Rodgers contributed to this story.