Tom Izzo made sure his message about Michigan State football landed loud and clear on Thursday.
After spending more than an hour answering questions, the longtime Michigan State basketball coach ended his media session with a pointed vote of confidence for the Spartans and their new head coach, Pat Fitzgerald.
“For all of you, I’ll bet you this football program is going somewhere in the very near future.”
Izzo did not stop there. He urged people around the program to stay patient and stay behind Fitzgerald.
“I hope you’ll hang with them like I’m gonna and believe in them like I do. Because, I believe in the man leading us and that’s what’s important.”
That support has not just come in words. Izzo has also shown up around the team, including joining the student section for the second half of the Illinois game, when Michigan State battled back to force overtime before losing by one point on a failed two-point conversion.
The backing carries extra weight because it is coming from one of the most respected coaches in the sport, someone who has spent more than 30 years leading Michigan State basketball.
Fitzgerald has already given Spartans fans a glimpse of his edge. In Michigan State’s overtime loss last week, he drew attention for raising his middle finger toward the referees as frustration boiled over.
Michigan State now turns to a major test this weekend against No. 25 Northwestern at home, with the Spartans needing a strong showing in a big spot.
Izzo’s stance leaves no doubt where he stands: he believes in Fitzgerald, and he wants the rest of the Michigan State community to do the same.
In Other News...
Michigan State Is Sending A Clear Message About Pat Fitzgerald's Fire
Michigan States recent trip to Illinois had no shortage of frustration, and Pat Fitzgerald showed just how much the moment got under his skin after a disputed offsides call went against his team. The Spartans head coach reacted with a middle finger gesture toward officials, a flash of emotion that quickly became part of the postgame conversation before Fitzgerald later apologized for it at a press conference.
Even with the apology, Michigan State is making it clear it does not see the incident as something that defines Fitzgeralds approach. Athletic director Dan Bartholomae publicly backed the coachs passion and enthusiasm, saying he appreciated the energy Fitzgerald brings to the program. For a team looking to channel intensity in the right direction, that kind of support suggests the Spartans would rather focus on the fire than dwell on the flare-up. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Izzo May Have A New Michigan State Center To Trust
Freshman center Ethan Taylor has already given Tom Izzo something to chew on early this season, and that matters in East Lansing. The Michigan State coach has praised Taylors motor and the progress he has made, a notably different tone than the one he used when discussing former player Xavier Booker. For a program that often leans on trust, toughness and steady development down the middle, Taylors emergence has been one of the early surprises.
The bigger question now is how quickly that trust turns into a larger role. Veteran Anton Bonke is still the current starter, but Taylors play has created the possibility that he could take over the position as the season goes on. Izzos comments suggest he sees more than just a useful freshman, and for Michigan State, that kind of early belief can change the shape of a frontcourt in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Wasted A Breakout Night In A Frustrating Big Ten Loss
Michigan State got one of the better individual performances it has had this season from Alanna Bankston, but it still was not enough to shake off Illinois in a frustrating Big Ten loss. The Spartans dropped the match in four sets, with each of the first two frames coming down to the margin and Illinois taking control enough to protect its edge despite Michigan State finding a little bit of an answer in the third.
Bankston finished with a career-high 20 kills, and Madi Andrews added 15 kills along with three service aces, giving Michigan State some needed production at the net and from the line. Still, Illinois won the battle in kills, digs and total blocks, and the Spartans were left looking at a match where their breakout night from one key attacker was overshadowed by the collective edge on the other side. [Read more 🡒]