[1] He played football at Canton McKinley High School where he blocked for Marion Motley and was selected as an all-state player.
[2] In December 1941, he was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team guard on the 1941 All-America college football team.
[1] His football career was interrupted by service in the Navy during World War II.
[1] In December 1946, Fife was named head coach of the Turtle Creek Union High School football team.
[6] He remained at Turtle Creek until 1950, when he accepted a job as line coach at the University of Nebraska.