Pat Knight to follow father Bob as Texas Tech coach

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Pat Knight to follow father Bob as Texas Tech coach

October 1, 2005

LUBBOCK, Texas (Ticker) - Pat Knight will follow in his father's footsteps.

Texas Tech announced on Saturday that it has designated Pat Knight as men's basketball coach after Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight decides to call it a career.

"It's truly an honor to carry on my dad's legacy here at Texas Tech," Pat Knight said.

Terms were not disclosed, but the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported that Pat Knight, who had been serving as an associate coach under his father, agreed to a five-year contract as coach designate.

"Pat has been a tremendous asset to me and to our basketball program in recruiting and teaching," Bob Knight said. "I've had a lot of assistants who have gone on to very successful careers and, none, I think was as ready or better prepared than Pat. It really pleases me that he will be able to continue what we've started here."

This is the same title that Sean Sutton has under his father Eddie at Oklahoma State. Sean, who played four years under his father at Kentucky and Oklahoma State, was an assistant under Eddie Sutton for 10 years before being named coach designate in May 2004.

Pat Knight's situation has been very similar to that of Sean Sutton's, playing four years under his father at Indiana in the early 1990s before receiving an assistant role in his dad's program in 1999.

"Pat has been given a great deal of responsibility in all areas of the program and is highly-involved in on-the-floor coaching during games and practices," Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said. "I have received several inquiries from athletic directors across the country concerning Pat's potential as a head coach."

Knight did have some positions away from his father, working as an administrative assistant and scout with the Phoenix Suns in 1995. He got his first coaching job with Wisconsin of the International Basketball Association in 1998.

Bob Knight, who won three national championships at Indiana, is about to begin his 40th season as a college coach. He is under contract through May 2009 after signing a three-year contract extension last September.

Updated on Saturday, Oct 1, 2005 5:18 pm EDT

Yahoo! Sports-October 1, 2005