Former Tom Izzo Assistant Fired From Head Coaching Job

Detroit Mercy's Mark Montgomery is two wins away from an NCAA Tournament berth, while Western Michigan's Dwayne Stephens was let go.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Tom Izzo has helped develop several assistant coaches who have gone on to become head coaches at the Division 1 level, with varying degrees of success. Two of Izzo's former assistants, Mark Montgomery at Detroit Mercy and Dwayne Stephens at Western Michigan, have been in the spotlight this season as they try to turn around their respective mid-major programs.

Why it matters

Izzo's coaching tree is closely watched, as his assistants have had mixed results when taking over their own programs. The fates of Montgomery and Stephens illustrate the challenges faced by former Izzo assistants in building successful head coaching careers.

The details

Montgomery is close to leading Detroit Mercy back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012, needing just two more wins in the Horizon League Tournament. Meanwhile, Stephens was fired from his head coaching job at Western Michigan after struggling to turn the program around.

  • Detroit Mercy is two wins away from its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2012.
  • Dwayne Stephens was recently fired from his head coaching job at Western Michigan.

The players

Tom Izzo

The longtime head coach of the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team, known for developing successful assistant coaches.

Mark Montgomery

A former assistant coach under Izzo who is currently the head coach of the Detroit Mercy Titans, trying to lead the team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in nearly 15 years.

Dwayne Stephens

Another former Izzo assistant who was recently fired from his head coaching job at Western Michigan after struggling to turn the program around.

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The takeaway

Izzo's coaching tree has had mixed results, with some former assistants finding success as head coaches and others struggling. The fates of Montgomery and Stephens illustrate the challenges faced by Izzo's protégés in building their own programs and living up to the high standards set by their mentor.