Tom Izzo delivers strong defense for players amid public criticism

There may be some fair criticisms to have about Michigan State this season, specifically over their recent 1-3 stretch in Big Ten play. However, Tom Izzo was not shy on Tuesday about defending his players and calling out some of the evaluations of his team as of late.

Izzo had a longer lecture at one point of his press conference in defense of his program and its players. He went after some of the questions some in the media and those online have had about the intangibles of the Michigan State program and made sure he got it across that it’d be a long time from now before any of them got through to him, his staff, or his roster.

“This has been a program of integrity, of non-cheating, of accountability, and one where the culture matters. The day that doesn’t happen? You don’t have to worry about me,” said Izzo. “I mean we are really getting crazy with this stuff.”

“I’m on a soap box about it now because (you all) have been through the process. You do question it, you are saying it, you are bringing it up,” Izzo said. “If I do (think changes are needed), the three guys up there and I will decide it. It’ll be a cold day in hell before one of you make that decision for me.”

“I understand you have a job to do. I don’t have a problem with it,” said Izzo. “But if you think you’re gonna get to me so those people can be right? It’ll be a cold day south of here.”

The sky isn’t exactly falling in East Lansing. The Spartans sit at 13-7 overall and are currently tied for fourth in the Big Ten at 5-4. Michigan State is also well within the NCAA Tournament field as a No. 6 seed in Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology.

Still, while some are obviously not happy, Izzo made it very clear that he couldn’t care less. He and his staff are going to continue running their team how they see fit, regardless of what people on the outside think about the Spartans or what those in the media may ask.