It all started earlier this week when CBS Sports published the Michigan State version of its "Who's Next" series, focusing on who will replace the active Hall of Fame coaches in college basketball.
In predicting who might replace Tom Izzo one day, CBS produced a list of five names with connections to Izzo and the program: current assistant coach Dane Fife, Georgia coach Tom Crean, South Florida coach Brian Gregory, George Washington coach Maurice Joseph and Northern Illinois coach Mark Montgomery.
The list has some potential succession candidates, to be sure, but also has one very notable omission: Dwayne Stephens, the Spartans' current associate head coach.