Miami Redhawks just made one of the more intriguing assistant hires in the mid-major ranks

The coaching carousel is usually dominated by head coaching moves and transfer portal headlines this time of year, but the Miami RedHawks may have quietly made one of the more interesting staff additions of the offseason.

Head coach Travis Steele announced the hiring of Andrew Dakich as an assistant coach this week, bringing another respected offensive mind into a program that continues to push toward becoming a consistent factor in the Mid-American Conference race.

For Miami, this move feels bigger than just adding another assistant. Dakich arrives with experience across multiple levels of college basketball, ties to several major programs, and a growing reputation as a coach who can connect with guards and help modernize offenses.

Andrew Dakich’s coaching rise has been steady

Dakich spent the last four seasons at Illinois State, serving as offensive coordinator while helping the program steadily improve each season. The Redbirds finished 23-13 during the 2025-26 campaign, their best season in nearly a decade, while also recording multiple Quad 1 victories for the first time in years.

That offensive development likely stood out to Steele, who specifically mentioned Dakich’s player development work and offensive coaching reputation in Miami’s official release.

The path to this point is also notable. Dakich played at both the University of Michigan and Ohio State Buckeyes, giving him firsthand experience inside two of college basketball’s biggest brands. He later transitioned into coaching roles at Elon, Ohio State, and Illinois State before landing this opportunity with Miami.

That mix matters in today’s sport. Programs outside the power conferences are constantly searching for assistants who understand both high-major recruiting culture and the realities of building sustainable success at the mid-major level. Dakich checks both boxes.

The Steele-Dakich pairing makes a lot of sense

Steele has continued to build Miami with coaches who understand player development and offensive versatility, which has become increasingly important in the transfer portal era.

Dakich’s background as a guard, combined with his years working under experienced staffs, should fit naturally with the direction Miami wants to go. He also brings familiarity with the Midwest recruiting landscape after stops in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina.

There is also the unavoidable basketball pedigree attached to the hire. Dakich is the son of Dan Dakich, a longtime college basketball voice and former head coach at Bowling Green Falcons men's basketball. But this move feels more connected to Andrew Dakich’s own résumé than family recognition.

Illinois State’s offensive growth during his tenure gives Miami legitimate reason to believe this can become a high-upside addition to the staff.

Miami continues building momentum in the MAC

Miami may not generate the same national attention as some of the larger programs across the region, but Steele has quietly kept the RedHawks competitive while trying to raise the overall ceiling of the program.

Adding younger assistants with recruiting connections and modern offensive ideas is part of that process.

Dakich also arrives at a time when continuity matters more than ever in college basketball. Staff turnover, portal movement, and NIL pressures have made internal player development increasingly valuable, especially for programs outside the power conferences that cannot simply rebuild through high-profile transfer additions every offseason.

For Miami, this hire looks less like a routine assistant coaching addition and more like a calculated investment in where the program wants to go next.

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