Texas Tech coach Bob Knight, the all-time winningest Division I men's basketball coach known as much for his brilliance as his fiery temper, resigned Monday in the middle of the season.
Love him or hate him, you can't dispute the numbers. He was the best coach college basketball ever had. His fiery temper only motivated players to perform at their fullest potential.
"He said he was tired and that it was best to go ahead and do it now," Texas Tech Chancellor Kent Hance told The Associated Press. "I think Bob is through with coaching. I think he got to the point where it wasn't fun for him."
The program will be turned over to his son, Pat Knight, who was named head coach-designate in 2005.
Knight's resignation was first reported by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Chris Cook, a spokesman for athletic director Gerald Myers, confirmed the resignation.
Knight informed Myers of his decision in a meeting around noon, Hance said. Knight then informed Hance of his decision in a 10-minute phone call.
Knight spent Sunday deciding whether to quit, one day after his Red Raiders beat Oklahoma State 67-60 in what now appears to be Knight's 902nd and final win.
Milestone Man
Bobby Knight's first collegiate coaching win came when Richard Nixon was president. His 900th came over 30 years later. Here's a look at his milestones:
| Victory | Date | Result |
| 100 | Feb. 27, 1971 | Army 64,
Navy 50 |
| 200 | Dec. 19, 1975 | Indiana 93,
Georgia 56 |
| 300 | Feb. 7, 1980 | Indiana 83,
Northwestern 69 |
| 400 | Dec. 8, 1984 | Indiana 81,
Kentucky 68 |
| 500 | Jan. 14, 1989 | Indiana 92,
Northwestern 76 |
| 600 | Jan. 6, 1993 | Indiana 75,
Iowa 67 |
| 700 | March 5, 1997 | Indiana 70,
Wisconsin 66 |
| 800 | Feb. 5, 2004 | Texas Tech 75,
Nebraska 49 |
| 880* | Jan. 1, 2007 | Texas Tech 70,
New Mexico 68 |
| 900 | Jan. 16, 2008 | Texas Tech 68,
Texas A&M 53 |
| * -- Became winningest men's coach in NCAA Division I history |
"He thought about it Sunday all day and talked to his wife and decided this is something I want to do," Hance said.
Knight was not available for comment Monday, said Randy Farley, a spokesman for the Texas Tech basketball program.
"Coach Knight has had a great career. His coaching record speaks for itself. His love for basketball is clear, but most importantly his love for teaching and the students has been a hallmark of his tenure here at Texas Tech," said Sally Logue Post, a spokeswoman for Texas Tech.
The 67-year-old Knight has been a head coach for 42 years at three Division I schools. He got his 100th victory at Army, then moved to Indiana, where his Hoosiers went 662-239 and won three national championships from 1971-2000.
His first NCAA title came in 1976 when Indiana went undefeated, a feat no team has done since. In 1984, he coached the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in Los Angeles.
"He's accomplished everything he can accomplish," a source close to the coaching staff told ESPN.com's Andy Katz. "He was going to do this at the end of this year anyway. I'm sure he's talked to a lot of people before he made this decision. This is a situation where he's letting Pat have the rest of this year so he has experience coaching the team rather than starting fresh."
