Tom Izzo ready to ‘bring it on’ in Year 30 and beyond as Michigan State basketball coach

EAST LANSING — As Tom Izzo gazed around the Superior Dome, soaking in the love from his fellow Yoopers on a special Sunday afternoon, he felt a lifetime flash in front of him.

Afterward, though, Michigan State basketball’s venerable head coach made it clear: He’s not done adding to his memorable moments.

On Thursday, as Izzo delivered the preseason state-of-State address at his annual media day, he reiterated his 30th year leading the Spartans won’t be his last. Even if some mistook his Upper Peninsula trip as some sort of sayonara or prelude to the end.

And he further clarified his spring hip replacement surgery has him feeling “healthier and happier now than I was even three four years ago.” He continues to enjoy his lifelong grind of red-eye flights to watch recruits, watching film late into the night, and making long trips that come with his anyone, anytime, anyplace ethos. Be it to play in Maui or Los Angeles or New York. Or even Marquette in the U.P.

“I will say this: When I don’t do that and you hear I don’t do that, then you can start predicting and guessing,” a defiantly rejuvenated Izzo said Thursday. “But until then, all the ones that are out there wanting to use that, bring it on. Bring. It. On. Any and every day of the week, bring it on.”

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So begins Year 30 for the Basketball Hall of Famer. Izzo, MSU’s all-time winningest coach, needs 10 Big Ten victories in a season of expansion and change to equal Bobby Knight’s conference record of 353.

Izzo’s eight Final Four appearances are the most among active Division I coaches. His 26 straight NCAA tournament appearances are an all-time record by a coach at one school.

Izzo’s legacy already is cemented in college hoops history. Yet one thing remains elusive, as much a driving factor and motivator as anything else. And his players know full well they are the only ones who can deliver it.

Izzo is starving for a second national title to go with the Spartans’ 2000 triumph, 25 seasons ago.

“Coach is still super desperate to get back in that championship circle,” junior center Carson Cooper said. “I think first on our list is to get back into Big Ten contention. I think these last couple years have been a little shaky.”

The Spartans extended Izzo’s NCAA streak last year, advancing to the second round of the West Region before falling to No. 1 seed North Carolina to finish 20-15. It was MSU’s 12th straight season with 20 or more wins, not including the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.

However, the Spartans struggled during Big Ten play and were out of the race early, going 10-10 in league games. MSU is 41-38 in conference action over the past four seasons since last winning a share of a third straight Big Ten title in 2020.

MSU lost three key players from last season in guards Tyson Walker and A.J. Hoggard and forward Malik Hall, replacing them with two transfers (swingman Frankie Fidler and center Szymon Zapala) and three freshmen (guards Jase Richardson and Kur Teng, and forward Jesse McCulloch).

“It just feels different overall, just a lot of new faces and new players. So we ready to get to work,” redshirt freshman point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. said. “Obviously, it’s gonna take a little bit of time, but everybody’s getting better. It’s a challenge. Everyone has to step up and do a little more now compared to last year. I think now, everyone kind of have a new role and a fresh start.”

MSU on Sunday won a rare road exhibition, 70-53, at Division II Northern Michigan, Izzo’s alma mater where he had his jersey retired during the game. Upon returning to Breslin Center and rewatching the game earlier this week, Izzo was not pleased with how his team performed — but, in keeping with his ongoing theme of accountability, he put some of the blame on himself for “the distractions that I cause” because the game morphed into a special event celebrating Izzo and the entire U.P.

“It was really good team-building,” Izzo said. “It was really good to get around some people that, as I said, have no entitlement in their life whatsoever as far as I’m concerned. … And it was really good for our players, because there were distractions, and that’s what you got to live with.”

The early energy created by the game at the Superior Dome now gives way to another long wait, much like the pause between the 10-day, three-game trip to Spain in August and the start of practice in late September. The Spartans’ final exhibition game is Oct. 29 at Breslin against Ferris State, with the season opener Nov. 4 against Monmouth.

Izzo is salivating at the chance for his players to have two days off from classes next week and put them through two-a-day practices. He wants to hone their cohesion and build more connectivity for when games count in less than three weeks.

Far from slowing down, the 69-year-old continues to crank up his intensity as the season nears. Just like he did 30 years ago.

“He’s still that Hall of Fame coach. I mean, obviously, he is,” senior guard Jaden Akins said. “He’s still got a lot of energy, I feel like, even though he’s a little older.”

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tom Izzo defiantly rebukes talk of potential Michigan State retirement