After six seasons as the head coach of IPFW, Dane Fife is returning to the Big Ten Conference, joining Tom Izzo’s staff at Michigan State.
Most fans recognize Fife from Indiana’s 2002 title game run. He has been doing special things up in Fort Wayne but who can blame the guy for jumping to a better opportunity. There’s only so much he can do at a small interest, low-budget school.
With the move to East Lansing, Fife is also moving home. Well, sort of. East Lansing is about 70 miles west of Clarkston, Michigan where he grew up.
Fife, 31, has had a winners mentality from the beginning. In high school he was Mr. Basketball of Michigan in 1998 and named to the McDonald’s All-American team. His gritty, in your face defense was what he was known for. In 2002, his final senior season at IU, he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Defense wins championships. There’s no question Fife will attempt to instill his defensive and winning mentality on his players.
Fife was willing to take a job that many avoided in IPFW. In his first year as head coach, he led the Mastodons to a 10-18 record, their first double-digit win season in program history. Last year they finished 18-12 as he completed his sixth season as the man in charge going 82-97.
Moving to the big stage is the right move for Dane Fife. In the past few years, he has gained the attention of prominent coaches around the country. Fife was very interested in IU’s vacancy last season eventually filled by Steve McClain. Before signing on to Michigan State, Purdue’s Matt Painter was recruiting him hard to come to West Lafayette. However, it had been a life-long goal for him to coach with Tom Izzo.
“One of my goals, since I began coaching, has been to work for coach Tom Izzo at Michigan State University,” Fife told the Indianapolis Star. “Helping Coach Izzo earn his second NCAA championship ring isn’t a maybe, but a must, and I am very confident that I can help…”
Due to his following and strong relationships in Indiana, Fife will be a strong asset for the Spartans. There is unprecedented talent in the basketball state, something MSU hopes to benefit from. My favorite Michigan State statistic is the fact that every four-player under Izzo has gone to the Final Four. That is every players dream and not many can check that off their list. Now that’s a huge recruiting tool.
Still very young and eager, he will also go above and beyond at Michigan State. He is a man of integrity so by no means interpret that as cheating. Fife will try to absorb all the information and resources he can because there’s no doubt he wants to become a head coach once again.
And he deserves to.
How ironic that Fife turns down the chance to play for Izzo in 1998, only to return later as a key assistant. That’s just further proof for anyone to make quality relationships everyday and understand that somebody is always watching. You never know when a person or experience may help you down the road.
Dane Fife will be a player’s favorite at Michigan State and he embrace his new role. He has been successful since his days in Clarkston, Michigan.
Now, he will carry those skills and what he has learned along the way 70 miles west to East Lansing—hoping to bring Tom Izzo his second championship.