4 former Golden Eagles coaches join Crean at IU

IU coach Tom Crean has had a busy last few weeks. While most of his attention is directed toward filling the decimated Hoosier roster, Crean has also been focusing on filling his coaching staff as well.\nOver the last month, Crean has hired Tim Buckley, Bennie Seltzer, Jayd Grossman and Brian Barone to accompany him on the sidelines. For the first time together Tuesday, all four coaches were made available to the media to discuss the upcoming season.\nBuckley and Seltzer were named assistant coaches in April, while Barone, who came on board in April 29 with Grossman, will be in charge of operations and video. Grossman will be the assistant athletic director for basketball administration. Crean is expected to hire a third assistant coach in the next couple of weeks.\nBuckley is no stranger to the state of Indiana or the IU basketball program. He was the head coach at Ball State from 2000 to 2006 before being fired. He then signed on to former Hoosier stand-out Steve Alford’s staff at Iowa. When Alford left for the University of New Mexico, Buckley joined Crean for the 2007 season.\n“It feels great to be back in Indiana,” Buckley said. “I don’t really feel like I left at all.”\nBecause he is only two years removed from the state, Buckley said he still has many of his recruiting contacts. The coaches have been busy attempting to fill next season’s roster, which was left nearly empty after losing several players to graduation, transfers and dismissals.\n“We’ve been in (Assembly Hall) a lot of late nights just working,” Seltzer said. “It’s been exciting. We’re involved in bringing back one of the most storied programs in America. That’s exciting – really exciting.”\nControversy came with Seltzer’s arrival to Crean’s staff. Seltzer has many ties with \nformer IU coach Kelvin Sampson, dating all the way back to Washington State, where he was a star point guard for the coach. He was a part of Sampson’s staff at Oklahoma during the time of Sampson’s first phone infraction allegations, but was never named in any of the reports. While many were skeptical of hiring someone associated with Sampson, Seltzer said the community has nothing to worry about.\n“That’s something (the fans are) going to have to deal with,” Seltzer said. “I’ve always been me – Bennie Seltzer. A guy that’s going to do things by the book and do things the right way. I did them the right way at Oklahoma, I did things the right way at Marquette and I’m going to do them the right way here at Indiana.”\nBarone followed Crean to IU also after a single season at Marquette. He previously played under Crean at Marquette. Though he knows IU is going through turbulent times, Barone said he’s confident Crean can smooth things out because he’s seen him do it before as a player.\n“Coach Crean was my third coach in three years, which as a player is just tough,” Barone said. “But the way coach came in and put a culture amongst our team and my teammates is exciting for what I know is going to happen here.”\nBecause of restrictions put on the men’s basketball program, the assistant coaches have spent the most time dealing with the recruiting process. Although the NCAA Infractions Committee is scheduled to meet June 14 in Seattle, to determine any punishment for IU after excessive phone call allegations were made against Sampson, Buckley said no recruit has expressed concern about the outcome of that meeting.\n“It’s Indiana basketball,” Buckley said. “I really believe that’s how they feel and a lot of people believe and trust in coach Crean in what he has done and what he is going to do.”