'This will be a players-first program' — Fish hired to lead
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2014 4:57 pm
By COLTER NUANEZ
Bobcat Beat
Brian Fish didn’t address the media his first day in Bozeman. He wanted to address his new basketball team first.
Fish was a few minutes late to his welcoming party. He wanted to talk to his mentor first.
The common theme Wednesday as Montana State named Fish the 22nd head coach of its men’s basketball program in school history was a theme of continuity. Fish spoke of his endless respect for his mentor and former boss, Oregon head coach Dana Altman. He spoke of his desire to resurrect the enthusiasm that once permeated Bozeman for Bobcat basketball. He talked about the beginning of what he wants Montana State’s program to become beginning the moment Wednesday’s press conference ended.
Fish has his work cut out for him. He takes over an MSU program that hasn’t won the Big Sky Conference since 2002 and hasn’t made it to the NCAA Tournament since 1996. Fish takes over for Brad Huse, who resigned after eight years at the helm on March 18.
“Brian Fish elevated himself to the top,” said MSU athletic director Peter Fields. “We had over 120 applicants and we interviewed 10 people and we had a great pool of candidates. Brian has enjoyed success at every stage of his development to become a head coach.”
Fish, who spent the last four seasons as Altman’s head assistant at UO, arrived in Bozeman just after noon on Wednesday. He declined to speak to the media initially because he didn’t want to talk to anyone before he had a chance to address his 10 new players.
“The first thing I wanted to do was to make sure the players were the first group I talked to,” Fish said after adjusting his brand new gold Montana State cap to fit his head. “I can’t explain to you how happy and excited I am to get this opportunity. Of all these things that Peter said about me, it’s always centered around really, really, really good people who were our players. When we flew in yesterday, I didn’t mean to avoid the media. Didn’t want to do it. But to establish the type of program, who we are as a program, it was most important to talk to the players.
“This program is about us. We are going to get involved. This is going to be a players-first program. We will do the right things, play the right way, treat others the right way, be held accountable and we will be proud of being Bobcats.”
Fish comes from a Ducks program that has compiled 96 wins, including three in the NCAA Tournament, and advanced to the post-season each of the last four years. He spent the previous six seasons (2004-10 as assistant coach), and eight years overall (including 1994-96 as video coordinator), on Altman's staff at Creighton, and was also assistant coach (2003-04) and associate head coach (2004-05) at San Diego, and assistant coach (1996-2002) on Billy Tubbs' staff at TCU.
Fish’s ties to Altman date back to 1989. The intense Oregon head coach has helped Fish with his rise through the coaching ranks on the way to landing his first head coaching job as a 48-year-old.
“Unfortunately, (Altman) thinks he’s my father figure even though I’m 48,” Fish said with a laugh. “The reason I was late here today was he had me on the phone making sure I didn’t say anything stupid.
“The jobs I’ve interviewed for in the past, he’s always said no, no, no. When this job came available, we had come off a tough loss to Wisconsin. He usually goes into a two-month hibernation. When I talked to him about this, he got back to me and told me this was the right fit. This is the perfect fit. He said, ‘If I’m going to turn you over to someone, I want someone that is going to stand by you. And be a leader, show you the right way, be in your corner every time something good or bad happens. Everyone I talked to, everyone said Peter is the right person for me to work with.”
Fields worked with a committee of eight to sift through the more than 120 applicants and 10 candidates who came in for interviews. The committee included: MSU small business finance and agricultural policy professor George Haines, who served as chairman; land resource and environmental science professor Jane Mangold; Sixth Man Club president Brad Hall; Montana State women’s basketball player Jackie Elliott, the president of the Student Athlete Committee; Randy Morrison, a community member and business owner who is a former official and coach that still works on the MSU scorers’ table; former MSU men’s basketball player and local business owner Jeff Riggs; MSU associate AD for compliance Cami Bechtold; and MSU associate AD for internal operations Dan Davies.
“Turning around the program is one thing, but what I was looking for, the one thing I wanted to see was a coach who was the total package,” Morrison said. “What I mean by the total package I mean he talked about his team first. He talked about reaching out to the community. He talked about how to reach out to ex-players. He talked about how to reach out to the students. We talked about his on-court presence. I was looking for that presence.
“He’s coming from a large-scale program, he’s got the charisma, he’s got the presence, he’s got the background. He’s been around a lot of people with connections. His connections on the upper level are huge. We asked ‘How are we going to build your program?’ Is it high school, JuCo, transfers? What do you do? You have to be connected to make all those pieces fit together.”
Fish takes over a program that finished 14-17 last season, including 9-11 in Big Sky play. The Bobcats missed the Big Sky tournament for the first time in Huse’s tenure.
MSU graduates four players from last year’s squad, including all-league forward Flavien Davis. Redshirt freshman Vance Wentz has transferred as well. That leaves MSU with 10 returners, all of who were in attendance at Wednesday’s announcement.
“It’s a nerve wracking time, but it’s also an exciting time because we have a chance to start fresh,” said senior center Blake Brumwell, a Big Sandy product. “The last few years haven’t gone like we wanted them to, but now is a chance to turn the page. I really like his commitment to this program. He understands, being from Montana myself, the pride this community and this state has for Montana State.”
Fish indentified needing to win the fan base back as his primary goal for his first year. He said he admired MSU head football coach Rob Ash’s program and their ability to fill Bobcat Stadium beyond capacity each Saturday. He also said MSU needs to win the students back.
“If you really want to feel good walking across campus, nothing feels better than walking across campus and hearing a student tell you great game,” Fish said.
“Playing in front of a great crowd absolutely helps us as players,” Brumwell added. “It brings so much energy. We want this to be a difficult place to play in.”
Fish said he doesn’t plan on hiring a full staff for at least a month. He said he wants to spend the next 30 days — the duration of MSU’s spring semester — getting to know his players. Huse’s staff of Shawn Dirden, Chris Haslam and Justin Wetzel are all on contract with MSU through June. Fish said he would consider retaining each.
MSU also has three recruits signed to National Letters of Intent. Fish said he would look into their retention.
During the interview process, Fish said he asked the committee a collection of questions. He said he asked Elliott what the MSU community meant to her.
“I wanted to know about her experience because the locker room doesn’t lie,” Fish said. “When she talked, she welled up and had tears in her eyes. She knew if she ever got hurt, Montana State would stand behind her. I wanted to be associated with that.”
Colter Nuanez can be reached at BobcatBeat56@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @Bobcat_Beat. Photo by Colter Nuanez.
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