Was Steve Fisher Contract Extension The Right Move For San Diego State?

Steve Fisher signed a three-year contract extension on Wednesday to remain head coach of the San Diego State University Aztecs through the 2017-18 season. But did the Aztecs make the right decision?

There is no question what Steve Fisher has meant to the SDSU basketball program.

Once the doormat of the Mountain West Conference, the Aztecs are now a perennial top 25 team thanks to Fisher, and have appeared in five straight NCAA tournaments, including two trips to the Sweet 16.

So it should come as no surprise that Fisher signed a three-year extension with the Aztecs to remain coach through the 2017-18 season. Any coach who turned a program around like Fisher did at SDSU deserves to be rewarded for his efforts.

But it cannot be ignored that Fisher will turn 70 years old this March, and will be 73 by the time his contract ends in 2018. Fisher has publicly said he sits down with his wife at the end of every season to decide whether or not he will continue coaching.

To some, that raises concern: In an era where college basketball coaches are becoming increasingly younger, did SDSU make the right move in committing to Fisher long-term?

For the Aztecs, that’s an easy question to answer. They believe Fisher has a few more good seasons of coaching ahead of him, and have every reason to believe he will honor his contract.

Fisher reiterated  his desire to be at SDSU in the press conference announcing his extension.

“I would say I’m going to be here for the future,” said Fisher. “I feel good. My health is good. I love what I’m doing and I can see myself continue doing it. It makes perfect sense to me. I don’t want to be anywhere where I’m not wanted.”

However, even if Fisher does stick around through the 2018 season, SDSU knows there will come a day when the legendary coach retires. Instead of waiting for that day, the Aztecs are planning for the future now.

Fisher’s contract includes a clause that names long-time assistant Brian Dutcher as coach-in-waiting. If and when Fisher does decide to step down, Dutcher will step in as head coach, allowing the program to maintain continuity with its successful coaching staff.

Dutcher first worked with Fisher at Michigan, where he established himself as one of the nation’s top assistants. He was best known for leading Michigan’s recruiting efforts that brought the “Fab Five” to Ann Arbor.

When Fisher was hired at SDSU in 1999, one of his first moves was to reunite with Dutcher. He has been Fisher’s right-hand man ever since, and should have no problem stepping into a larger role.

Mid-majors are typically stepping stones for young coaches to move up the coaching ranks. That’s why continuity is so important, because knowing who the next coach is could make the difference between a prized recruit staying or choosing to commit to a rival school.

That’s why Fisher’s extension and SDSU’s plan should be applauded. In many instances, a program doesn’t plan for the future, and when a coaching change happens the team goes into a tailspin — recruits decommit, players transfer, and reputations are ruined.

But not SDSU.

The Aztecs know what they want. They want their veteran coach to remain on the sidelines as long as wants. And for now, he still wants to be there. But don’t worry — when he changes his mind, the Aztecs have a plan.

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