Michigan State Basketball: Three People who could Replace Dane Fife
EAST LANSING – On Monday afternoon, Dane Fife officially left Michigan State basketball and joined Indiana as an assistant under new head coach Mike Woodson.
Before his departure, MSU had the longest-tenured coaching staff in the sport, which speaks to the stability Tom Izzo maintained.
Now, the 66-year old is looking to replace Fife.
The Hall of Fame coach should have a deep pool of candidates to choose from, but if history tells us anything, Izzo will hire someone with ties to the state.
In 26 seasons, Izzo has brought in 10 assistants; eight went to high school in Michigan.
Listed below are three people who could take Fife's place next season.
Doug Wojcik
Doug Wojcik is the most obvious choice. He's been tremendous as the program's recruiting coordinator, a role that eventually came with increased responsibility. Wojcik brings an abundance of experience as a former head coach at the College of Charleston and Tulsa, plus an assistant at North Carolina.
Mark Montgomery
Mark Montgomery is available after being fired by Northern Illinois in January. He served as an assistant under Izzo for ten seasons, spending the last four as associate head coach. With him on the bench, MSU made three trips to the Final Four and one title appearance in 2009.
David Thomas
David Thomas spent the last six years as Michigan State's director of operations and has been a vital figure behind the scenes. Having been a member of the 2000 Spartan men's basketball national championship team, Thomas also brings a plethora of credentials as a player and staffer under Izzo.
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