Eye On College Basketball Podcast

Episode: Indiana's Darian DeVries on the Father/Son Duo coming to the Hoosiers

Date: October 9, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Gary Parrish sits down with Darian DeVries, first-year head coach of Indiana men's basketball, during Big Ten Media Day in Chicago. DeVries discusses his whirlwind journey through three coaching jobs in as many years, the unique experience of bringing his son Tucker (an All-American) to Indiana, his basketball philosophy, and what the future holds for the Hoosiers. The conversation also explores expectations for Indiana in the context of the long Big Ten title drought and managing a mostly new roster.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Navigating Rapid Career Transitions (01:34-02:36)

• DeVries has held three different coaching positions in three consecutive years (Drake → West Virginia → Indiana), a journey he describes as both challenging and rewarding:
  • “Anytime you make a transition, there’s a lot more to it than people think. It's not just the basketball transition.” (01:46)
  • “We’re on the back end of that and everything is... getting a little more calm and a little more like routine.” (01:58)

2. The Dream and Pressure of the Indiana Job (02:09-03:31)

• He acknowledges mixed emotions—excitement for the Indiana opportunity but difficulty leaving another program so soon:
  • “Indiana is just one of those dream jobs... it was just something that I felt like was too good to pass up.” (02:50)
• The elevated public profile and fan passion as Indiana basketball coach:
  • “I certainly understand the passion behind Indiana basketball... they love their hoops... people are very passionate about it, it’s a part of their lives.” (03:31-04:00)

3. Coaching His Son Tucker, the All-American Transfer (04:00-04:59)

• Tucker DeVries joins Indiana after repeated shoulder surgeries but is finally healthy:
  • “Probably the best he's felt maybe since his freshman year with us at Drake... Hopefully all the surgeries are behind him now.” (04:25)
  • “He feels great, he looks good, and ... that's the main thing.” (04:54)

4. Father/Son Partnerships: Lessons from the McDermotts (04:59-05:42)

• Darian worked with Greg and Doug McDermott and models his relationship with Tucker after them:
  • “They did a great job of separating like a player and coach when we were playing, and then outside of that, you know, as father and son.” (05:22)
  • “Four years with Doug and Greg was certainly helpful.” (05:39)

5. Playing Style: More Three-Pointers on the Horizon (05:42-06:22)

• Indiana fans noticed more three-point attempts during an offseason trip to Puerto Rico:
  • “It's a big part of how we play... we want to take a lot of threes... play in transition, play free, play in attack mode.” (05:59)
  • “We don’t want to get crazy, crazy with [threes] but we want to get them up and we recruit to that.” (06:09)

6. Roster Updates: Focus on Transfers and Health (06:22-06:51)

• Indiana features a mostly new team, with significant players recovering from injuries:
  • On transfer Nick Dorn: “He still hasn’t been able to practice yet... he’s getting closer every day, but we haven’t been able to see what he can do with us yet.” (06:39)

7. Big Ten Championship Drought & Expectations (06:51-07:37)

• On the Big Ten’s national championship drought (since 2000):
  • “Everybody, that’s what you’re striving for, is to win a championship... we don’t really put our sights maybe on what that end goal is, it’s just what do we got to do in the short term.” (07:17)

8. Measuring Success in Year One (07:37-08:25)

• DeVries takes a process-focused approach, not fixating on win-loss records:
  • “Not at all in terms of, like, wins and losses. I just know, like, what our group is, and, you know, how can we best maximize what group is capable of?” (07:50)
  • “As long as you can keep that mindset... are we getting better, you know, in December and January and February so that we’re playing our best basketball by March?” (08:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Darian DeVries on taking the Indiana job:
  "Indiana is just one of those dream jobs that... when you get the opportunity to lead this program, it was just something that I felt like it was too good to pass up."
  (02:50)

• On coaching his son through adversity:
  "For him, I hope that's all behind him and now he gets to move forward, but he feels great."
  (04:54)

• On the three-point philosophy:
  "It’s a big part of how we play... we want to take a lot of threes... play in transition, play free, play in attack mode."
  (05:59)

• On the ambitions for year one:
  "I just know, like, what our group is, and... how can we best maximize what group is capable of? That’s our biggest goal every single day."
  (07:51)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:34 – Life and logistics of constant job changes
• 02:36 – Coming to terms with leaving West Virginia for Indiana
• 03:31 – The intensity of Indiana basketball’s fan base
• 04:25 – Tucker DeVries’ health update
• 05:14 – Lessons from the McDermott father/son dynamic
• 05:59 – Indiana’s new offensive emphasis on three-pointers
• 06:39 – Status of incoming transfer Nick Dorn
• 07:17 – The Big Ten's national championship drought
• 07:50 – DeVries’ year-one definition of “success”

Episode Tone and Style

The conversation is candid, practical, and rooted in experience, with DeVries sharing philosophies that reveal a balanced, process-oriented mindset. Parrish’s questions keep the tone informed yet approachable, providing insight for both Indiana fans and general college basketball audiences.

Summary Takeaway

This episode offers Hoosier fans and college basketball followers a detailed preview of the Darian and Tucker DeVries era at Indiana, focusing on leadership transitions, player development, and the evolving style of play at one of the sport’s most storied programs. Coach DeVries’ grounded approach, combined with his emphasis on maximizing team potential rather than fixating on outcomes, sets the tone for an intriguing season ahead in Bloomington.