Sampson searching for the Hoosiers' leader

Ask Earl Calloway, Rod Wilmont or D.J. White who the leader of the 2006 IU squad is, and they'll each give a different answer. They'll point to themselves and proclaim they're the leader of the Hoosiers.\nThere's only one problem with that -- their coach doesn't agree with them.\n"You can't have three leaders just like you can't have three quarterbacks, like you can't have three head coaches," IU coach Kelvin Sampson said. "Someone has to make decisions; someone has to lead the team. And I'm finding out."\nSampson said before the season began that anybody can be a good leader during September conditioning, but he finds out who the true leader of a team is during the last 30 minutes of a three-hour practice.\n"You can pick captains, but you can't elect a leader," he said. "Your leader evolves. We're still trying to find that -- how he handles adversity. And we're gonna run into it."\nWhile the first-year Hoosier coach continues to figure out who his true leader is, three of his players -- Calloway, Wilmont and White -- know they bring something different and unique to the table.\n"I'm gonna go out there and play hard every night," Wilmont said. "(I'm going to) treat every practice like it's a real game. Hopefully everyone recognizes how hard I play."\nSenior guard Calloway, who Sampson said he hopes will play at "variable speeds" this season, recognizes what he needs to do in order to make an impact on his team.\n"I gotta be able to decide (what to do with the ball)," Calloway said. "But there will be times ... I get (the ball), I'm gone. I've gotta run this offense."\nWhile Calloway and Wilmont can use last season as a learning experience for their senior year, White does not have that luxury. The junior forward was forced to sit out most of the 2005-06 season with a foot injury, something that has given the Hoosier big man even more drive to become "the man" on the team.\n"I gotta be a leader this year. Last year, I was a leader, but I wasn't the leader who the team looks up to," White said. "I feel they look up to me this year for that leadership. They go out there, and they follow me. I have to bring that every game, every practice and just be there whenever they need me." \nWhite also said there isn't a single leader on the IU squad and said that he sees quality leadership abilities within several players.\n"Earl Calloway, he's vocal. Rod Wilmont's stepping up," White said. "(Senior guard) Errek Suhr, you know we look up to him a lot. He works hard every day; you know there's not one day where he comes in there and doesn't bring it. It's every day, the same effort every day. Whether he knows it or not, we look at that, and we really appreciate that." \nBefore Hoosier Hysteria on Oct. 13, Suhr responded to White's compliment.\n"I did not know that," Suhr said. "Well, D.J.'s my boy, and I'm thrilled that he said that."\nRegardless of who the Hoosiers' true leader is this season, Sampson made several things clear: The leader puts the team before himself and treats the position as a full-time job.\n"Your leadership is not a sometime thing; it's an all-the-time thing," Sampson said. "There are three people that can never have a bad practice: your head coach, the point guard and your best player. Those three guys aren't allowed. And our kids are learning that."\nAfter the Hoosiers' 73-66 home victory against Indiana State on Nov. 17, Sampson said he is still searching for the leader on his team.\n"We're still trying to develop," Sampson said. "You know, I watched Michigan State the other day and their guard (Drew) Neitzel, he just exudes (leadership). With his familiarity, he just knows exactly what to expect ... We're not there yet"