The Indiana men's basketball head-coaching job should be Mike Davis' dream.

But with the untimely September departure of Bob Knight as the Hoosiers general, an inexperienced team and rumors that names are already being circulated for his successor next season, Davis knows every day counts if he plans to be at Indiana next season.

"I know every loss is another step closer of being out," Davis said. "They may run me off, but the ones who know me know I'm a worker."

Davis said he hears rumors every day about Indiana looking into candidates for the Hoosiers head job next season, but he continues to shut them out and work with the young squad, trying to make them a conference contender.

The first-year coach added he realizes winning a Big Ten championship might not be an attainable goal this season, but with the cast of underclassmen at Indiana, future championships might be in store.

And Davis is — at least — partially responsible for recruiting some of the talent on present and future Hoosier lineups.

Davis played his collegiate ball at Alabama, winning the Mr. Hustle Award during all four of his years with the Crimson Tide, and after his college career, Davis played and coached in the Continental Basketball Association and overseas.

Davis returned to Alabama to be an assistant coach for two years under former 'Bama head coach David Hobbs from 1995-1997.

His playing and coaching days in the Deep South would inevitably pay dividends when he joined Knight and the Hoosiers.

Davis' connections helped Indiana land some of the hottest players coming out of the south, including Georgia prospects 6-foot-9 sophomore Jeffrey Newton, 6-foot-3 freshman guard A.J. Moye and future players, including 6-foot-1 Louisiana guard Donald Perry who signed with the Hoosiers in 2000.

"He has the ability to get some players and recruit," Michigan State men's basketball coach Tom Izzo said. "He has the respect of his players which is really important."

Not only do his players respect him, but they have also been working as hard for him as any other coach they might have ever played for.

With an extensive weight-training program, demanding practices and conditioning at 6 a.m., the Hoosiers cannot complain they aren't getting the most out of their new coach.

"They have never worked this hard," Davis said. "I'm trying to get them in the best condition they've ever been in.

"We wouldn't have won 10 games already if we weren't this conditioned."

Davis had a formidable task of replacing Knight only a month before the season, but he was also faced with starting his first head-coaching job without one senior donning the traditional Cream & Crimson uniforms.

Not only did the Fayette, Ala., native have to get Indiana's young team prepared for the season, he had to work through all of the post-Knight era turmoil that surrounded the campus.

So far, Davis has done a fine job.

The Hoosiers are 10-7 and have knocked off then-No. 1 Michigan State on Jan. 7, but the team is still inconsistent, losing "must win" games against state-rival Indiana State and conference-foe Michigan.

But the Hoosiers are learning under Davis and they are steadily improving as the Big Ten season continues.

With one of the best and brightest frontcourts in the Big Ten, next season might be the season to gauge Davis's coaching ability.

Haston and Newton return for their senior and junior years, respectively, accompanied by Jared Jeffries who will return for his sophomore year, if all goes well and they decide to stay in Bloomington if any changes are implemented during the offseason.

Davis just hopes he can still be around to see the team reach its potential next season.

"They like me and they know I can coach," Davis said of the current Hoosiers. "I'm not going to give the people that don't want me here a reason to get rid of me."