INDIANAPOLIS – Pat Knight, son of the legendary Indiana University coach Bob Knight, has resigned as head men’s basketball coach at Marian University, effective immediately. The resignation comes after Knight told IndyStar he quit because the university administration asked him to fire a staff member, a request he refused to fulfill.
“I quit today. They wanted me to fire a staff member, and I didn’t want to,” Knight said on Monday evening. “When the administration starts trying to tell you what to do, nah, I’ve been there before.”
The abrupt departure marks the end of Knight’s second stint as a collegiate head coach since 2014, and a career that has mirrored, in some ways, the often-contentious path forged by his father. Knight was ejected from his final game as Marian’s coach, a 75-74 loss to Goshen on January 31st, though he did not replicate his father’s infamous chair-throwing incident.
Marian University’s athletic director, Steve Downing, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Knight’s resignation. The loss to Goshen snapped a 54-game conference losing streak for Goshen and a 19-game losing streak to Marian.
Knight declined to identify the staff member the administration wanted him to dismiss. He expressed a desire to return to NBA scouting, stating, “I always wanted to go out on my own. I’m glad to be back home in Indianapolis. Hopefully, I’ll get back into the NBA scouting. I’m too old. Life’s too short to put up with that bull(crap).”
Knight’s tenure at Marian spanned two seasons, resulting in a 16-34 overall record and a 7-23 mark within the Crossroads League. He took over the program in 2024 after a decade spent as a scout with the Indiana Pacers.
Prior to his time at Marian, Knight amassed a 79-123 record as a Division I head coach. He succeeded his father at Texas Tech in 2007, where he posted a single winning season (19-16 in 2009-10) over four years. He later coached at Lamar University for three seasons, achieving a 23-12 record in 2011-12, leading the team to both the Southland Conference regular season and tournament championships, and an NCAA tournament berth. However, his final two seasons at Lamar saw a 6-50 record.
Knight’s coaching career began after a four-year playing career at Indiana University, where he was a member of the 1992 Final Four team. He also held assistant coaching positions at Texas Tech, Akron, and Indiana, as well as roles in the Continental and International Basketball Associations and with the Phoenix Suns’ basketball operations staff.
The resignation comes less than three months after the passing of Bob Knight, who died on November 1, 2023, in Bloomington, Indiana. Bob Knight, a three-time national champion with the Indiana Hoosiers (1976, 1981, and 1987), finished his collegiate coaching career with a record of 902 NCAA Division I wins, coaching at Army, Indiana, and Texas Tech.
Pat Knight’s departure from Marian marks another chapter in a family legacy deeply intertwined with the game of basketball, and a career that, like his father’s, has been marked by both success and controversy. His decision to resign rather than comply with the administration’s request underscores a commitment to his principles, echoing a trait often associated with the elder Knight.
