Izzo's unique plans for Garland enables Monty to return as a bench coach

East Lansing, Mich. - Tom Izzo has talked about the importance of establishing a player-coached team. Now, he is taking more steps toward having a former player-cultivated program.

Izzo listened to former captain Draymond Green and other past Spartans when establishing a separate locker room for former players when they come back to Michigan State to work out.

Izzo said having Green and other Spartans, such as Jaren Jackson, Denzel Valentine and Bryn Forbes, back on campus for “Grind Week” at Michigan State in September was the second best weekend of his career, second only to the National Championship of 2000.

Better than a Big Ten Championship?

“Killed it,” Izzo said of the comparison.

So when Green mentioned to Izzo that the coaching staff could stand to grow a little younger, Izzo saw his point.

Izzo revealed during Wednesday’s Media Day press conference that when he hired Matt McQuaid as Director of Operations and Austin Thornton as Video Coordinator in June, it was part of a concerted effort to make his staff younger.

“Draymond Green brought that to my attention,” Izzo said. “I think Draymond was right about getting a little youth on my staff. Now I have balance.”

Izzo also revealed that Mark Montgomery has been elevated to a full assistant coaching position. Montgomery was initially hired on June 7 as recruiting coordinator.

Montgomery, 51, is in his second stint on the Michigan State coaching staff. He was an assistant for Izzo from 2002-2011. He left to be head coach at Northern Illinois from 2011-2021.

"Monty was a good coach when he was here before and he's an even better coach now," Izzo said.

With the shuffling of the staff, Montgomery is replacing Mike Garland, who is taking on a new role.

“Garland will remain with me but changed his title a little bit to special assistant to me,” Izzo said.

Garland is in his 22nd season at Michigan State. Garland and Izzo were teammates at Northern Michigan University.

“Mike has been together with me since my first night on Northern Michigan University’s campus,” Izzo said. “He’s been with me here for all but four of years when he was at Cleveland State. Mike has been my guy. When I think back to the number of years Mike and I have been together, when I say special assistant, he is a special guy for me.

“His son went through a very, very difficult time, getting a heart transplant last year. Mike had to be gone some. Even though he is doing really well, we thought it would be best to get him off the road.”

Garland will be an extension of Izzo, continuing work with self-scouting, as well as tending to current and former players and their needs on or off the court.

“We are going to use Mike in a lot of different areas,” Izzo said. “One will be in the day-to-day work with me in the film room and figuring out what we want to do. Two, will be the development of our student-athletes. What I mean by that is kind of on a day-to-day. Mike has always done this for me but he’s had a million other things to do. So instead of making him the recruiting coordinator like I did with Doug and Monty, at first, he will do some of that, he will coordinate some of that, but he is going to be involved in a lot of day-to-day stuff with me.”

Like what?

“Like when I think it’s time to go see Miles Bridges because maybe he’s struggling, I’m going to be able to fly Mike there.”

Bridges might be the last player who needs a hand or a shoulder from a former coach, but there have been others that Izzo has wanted to reach out to in the past but has been hamstrung by demands and timing of the job. Now, Izzo wants his staff to have the ability to reach out and continue to lend support former players, as well as stay in touch with the mental health of the current players.

“When it’s time to deal with some of the guys that maybe aren’t playing as well, his responsibility will be the to the player,” Izzo said. “I’m kind of excited about it. He (Garland) and I have talked about it. I think it’s going to be great for me, for our program, for our former players, for our current players.

“I have to do a better job with the players I’ve got and the players I’ve had.”

As for Garland’s impact on current players:

“It will give me a little bit of ability to relax a little bit, knowing that Mike is dealing with all of the issues and problems,” Izzo said. “We know mental illness has been upgraded a lot in college sports. Maybe having someone who keeps an eye on things with our players on the front end, we won’t have to deal with the crisis management on the back end.”

Dwayne Stephens returns for his 19th year as an assistant at Michigan State and his 10th season as the Spartans’ Associate Head Coach.

“DJ is still my Associate Head coach,” Izzo said. “Monty will look at some of the offensive things. Doug has done a great job with some of the recruiting stuff and he will continue in some of that. But he, too, will work with D.J. and with Monty. I think we’re a very well-oiled machine right now.

“Getting Monty back, it was something from the past. We went through some great year. He and D.J. and great friends, he and Doug are good friends, he and Mike are good friends. So it has been a very smooth transition.”