MISSOULA, Mont. – On Tuesday, January 9th, Fresno State transfer quarterback Logan Fife opened his “X” account to a new direct message request.
It was from University of Montana recruiting coordinator Justin Green, fresh off a trip to the FCS national championship game.
The contents asked how Fife was feeling about his transfer process, mentioned that starting QB Clifton McDowell entered the portal himself and that with a spot now open, he’d like to have some film to look over with Brent Pease (offensive coordinator).
By the weekend Fife was in Missoula touring the town, campus, and football facilities then by Monday, January 15th, he was a Montana Grizzly.
Just six days after first contact with the program, Fife made the commitment personally to head coach Bobby Hauck in his office, a day later announcing it to the football world on social media.
“I’ve known that Montana football is really good,” Fife said. “I have a lot of buddies at the FCS level from high school – friends at Sac State, Eastern Washington, Idaho State, Cal Poly, so I’m familiar with how good Montana football has been for a while.”
“And then I got out there and you could just kind of feel the small-town aspect it has, going to lunch, certain restaurants, seeing it all over the walls and seeing how much passion there is for Montana football throughout all of Missoula.”
A much different atmosphere than Minneapolis, where he was originally slated to go and join the Golden Gophers.
But after reconsideration, he decided to re-enter the portal and wait for the right opportunity - one where he could earn significant playing time.
“When it comes down to it, it was just the situation,” Fife said of decommitting from Minnesota. “The reason I got into the portal was to put myself in a better situation to try and start for a program and I don’t think that was the best situation to do that in. They’re obviously bringing in Max Brosmer from New Hampshire and they kind of made it known that it was their intention for him to be the guy.”
Not that getting the top role at Montana will be a cake walk. Despite McDowell leaving, the team retains promising freshman Keali’i Ah Yaht, who worked his way into the No. 2 role this past season as well as former Boise State transfer Sam Vidlak.
The coaching staff made sure to lay that out to him. However, he’s approaching the battle with confidence in what his football path has given him this far.
“They said everything there is earned, not given,” Fife said. “So I’m going to have the opportunity to go in there and compete with those guys and showcase my abilities and learn the offense, but I have a lot of experience and knowledge being behind some really good staff from Fresno State with DeBoer (Kalen DeBoer), Grubb (Ryan Grubb), Kirby Moore, Coach Tedford (Jeff Tedford), Coach McCann (Pat McCann) – so I had a lot of really good coaches and was able to learn a lot.”
“So I think with my experience they are expecting me to step in and take on that role, and if that’s competing and trying to win the job out or just help the young guys learn, I’m there to help the team get better and learn in any aspect.”
Not only was Fife under the tutelage of DeBoer and Grubb when they were at Fresno State, now the newest Alabama Crimson Tide head coach and offensive coordinator, but he was also behind now-NFL quarterback Jake Haener on the depth chart.
Still a friend of Fife’s, the New Orleans Saints QB is amped for his longtime backup to get a chance to highlight himself.
“I was super fired up when I saw he was there (visiting Montana) and I said, ‘dude, what’re you waiting for? Why don’t you just commit there?’” Haener said he told Fife. “And he said, ‘I committed’ and I was like, ‘Oh, awesome’ because I think that’s really Logan’s atmosphere. He likes to hunt, he likes to be outside, he likes to do a lot of things that Montana offers.”
“My whole thing to him when he originally committed to Minnesota, I was like, ‘dude, you want to go somewhere where you can get on the field and play’ and I felt like this was the perfect opportunity for him to go compete and get on the field and play for a good team with a lot of returning players, not to mention a team that just made an FCS championship run … I think he’s in the perfect spot with the perfect fan base that packs that stadium and makes the atmosphere unbelievable for any college football environment.”
Plus, with the tendency of Montana to mix more creativity into their offense this past season, Fife’s skillset could be a match, too.
“I think getting into a system for Logan that’s more 11-personnel, even sometimes 10-personnel based, is something that could benefit him,” Haener said. “He’s a guy that’s going to be an RPO, spread-type guy … he’s a sneaky athlete and I think he’s somebody that can extend plays with his legs.”
That bodes well for the wide receiver trio at Montana that demands to be on the field at the same time. With returning star Junior Bergen, emerging standout Keelan White and the rangy Aaron Fontes running routes all over the field, 11-personnel units will be deployed often. And don’t forget the return of athletic pass-catching tight end Cole Grossman.
With Fife’s ability to keep plays going and buy those guys extra time to get open, there could be a lot of touchdowns scored for the maroon and silver in 2024.
“The fan base up there should be excited to see his playmaking outside of the pocket and outside of the structure when things break down.” Haener said.
But of course, don’t expect fireworks from day one.
As the Montana fan base saw last season, it took time for McDowell to really grow into the offense, especially since he came to Missoula just days before fall camp. Aside from learning the Xs and Os, you have to gain an understanding of each play’s purpose, find comfortability with your teammates and trust from your coaches, plus get live game reps, all of which is bound to eventually come with some hardship.
This, though, it was the most important developmental piece for a QB – take it from the NFL player.
“With quarterbacks, it always comes down to understanding why you’re running things, how that coaching staff wants you to execute the play and why they’re calling things,” Haener said. “And I think for Logan, a kid who obviously hasn’t played a ton, getting into a system where he’s comfortable and understands why the coach is calling things from that down and distance and that point in the game and when he can take his shots and can’t – just turning into a field general, is the biggest thing he can get as he continues to mature.”
“So he’ll make some mistakes early in spring ball, and I know he’ll get better because everyone does, and I think he has all the ability and all the tools to be successful at that level and hopefully win Montana a national championship in the FCS.”
So far in his career, which spans four years with the Bulldogs, Fife is 3-3 as a starter. He’s passed for 1,585 yards and six touchdowns (nine interceptions) while rushing for another four touchdowns on 88 yards.
Though he’s had inconsistency throughout these stretches, he did step in for Haener in 2022 against then No. 7-ranked USC, completing 11-of-12 pass attempts for 140 yards in the second half. His .917 completion percentage in that performance is the second-best single game completion percentage (minimum 10 attempts, no more than 20 attempts) in program history.
What he can become with his remaining two years of eligibility is still to be seen, but his message for what fans should expect right away was this.
“I think I’m a tough, hard-working dude that’s wanting to compete and win,” Fife said. “I think I’m an ultra-competitor that brings competitiveness in all aspects of the team. I care deeply about the people around me. I come from a small, blue-collar town in California and I know it takes hard work to succeed and I’m just willing to get to work and do whatever it is to help the Montana Grizzlies win more games and get back to the national championship and send it off on the right foot winning that final game.”