New assistants breathe life into IU program

Looking down his bench this year, IU coach Mike Davis sees something personal. \nNot only is this the first year with every player being a Davis recruit, but the coaching staff is also a product of his own. \nDuring this past offseason, Davis personalized his coaching staff with the hiring of associate head coach Kerry Rupp, assistant coach Donnie Marsh and administrative assistant Eric Jackson. \nRupp came to Bloomington after three years at the University of Utah, where he served as the Utes' interim head coach last season -- he took over for Rick Majerus, who stepped down because of health concerns. \n"Kerry is a veteran coach with a tremendous work ethic, and he brings a lot of energy to a program," Davis said upon Rupp's arrival to the program. \nKnown around the basketball world as a defensive and recruiting specialist, Rupp and his international experience has already begun to make his mark at IU with the recruitment of freshman Lucas Steijn from The Netherlands for this season, and Ben Allen from Australia for next season.\nMarsh came to IU after the last fours seasons as head coach at Florida International University.\nDuring his 25-year coaching career, Marsh made stops at Florida State University and Virginia Tech.\nMarsh brings a defensive reputation with him to IU, and Davis said his ability to recruit also factored in to his hiring.\n"Donnie has been an assistant coach and a head coach, so he really understands the ins and outs of a college basketball program," Davis said. "He is a proven recruiter, and I know our players will feed off his work ethic and energy on the court."\nAnd, they already have.\nLeft off the radar by most when looking at the Hoosiers -- partly because of his resemblance to another Hoosier assistant, Thad Fitzpatrick -- Marsh already has at least one fan on the team.\n"He's my man," freshman D.J. White said. "He's a defensive specialist. He's teaching me things about how to play on the defensive block, guarding bigger (opponents). He's helping me a lot. He's showing me how to play smarter on defense."\nLike Marsh, Rupp comes with a defensive mind, but also pays close attention to detail.\nIn practice, Rupp has made an impression on the veterans and the newcomers with his attention to detail and knowledge of big man play. \n"(He is a) great coach. I love him," Steijn said. "He's a good post coach. He helps me a lot with post moves. He has good comments, and he's really motivating."\nGoing back to the basics and skill development are two of Rupp's main features, he said. \nWhen all is said and done, Rupp wants to be known as a great teacher -- and to some of his players, he's on his way.\n"Coach Rupp has been good," White said. "I mean, he teaches me the little things about playing on the post, just staying down low. I mean, he's been known to teach big men, so he's helped me out a lot."\nRupp's experience isn't limited to the college game. For the 24 years before he coached at Utah, Rupp was a high school coach in Utah. And he also has NBA experience. One of Rupp's closest friends is NBA legend Karl Malone. Rupp serves as co-Executive Director of the Karl Malone Foundation for Kids, and has used his ties to professional basketball in Utah to coach at many summer leagues in the Salt Lake state. \nWhile Davis steers the ship, it's Rupp and Marsh that are guiding the sails. \nWith their combined experience, junior Bracey Wright said he hopes the Rupp-Marsh pair will be able to help him ascend to the highest level. \n"They bring the knowledge of what it is on the next level," Wright said. "What we need to do to play on that next level, and how to prepare ourselves to play on that level."\n-- Contact senior writer Josh Weinfuss at jweinfus@indiana.edu.