Tom Izzo focused on Final Four after advancing to Elite Eight

ATLANTA — Tom Izzo led Michigan State to an eighth Elite Eight of his long career which has spanned four decades. But the head coach is not focused on the moment, in fact his first words after the game focused on what it would mean to reach the Final Four.

Classic coach speak rules tell you that the only games which can be discussed are the one that just finished and the one coming next. Izzo is clearly no believer, and he is not afraid to say why.

“It’s hard to believe that two days we’re playing for a chance to do one of the all-time great things in any basketball player’s life, and that’s play for a Final Four,” Izzo said in his opening statement. “I’m proud and happy for them. They’ve earned it. They deserved it. They did it.”

Tom Izzo not afraid to talk about Final Four

This is not an entirely new sentiment from Izzo either, as he continues to find joy coaching college basketball. At some point during his Hall of Fame career, the Michigan State coach decided that he no longer owed everyone the anticipated response and chose to speak his mind.

“Elite Eights are great too, but go back to my statement from the beginning, we don’t put up any banners for great eights,” said Izzo. “We put up banners for championships and Final Fours and National Championships.”

Michigan State might not hang a banner in the arena every time Tom Izzo leads his team this far, but he has no shortage of people ready to provide motivation and adulation to his roster after each win.

“I’ve talked to these guys about it” said Izzo. “I guess it’s the one thing I do have some experience on. Thank God I got a couple players, ex-former players — I’ve got a whole locker room full of former players right now. I’ve got Kevin Willis beating up my guys because we weren’t as tough and he’s tough.

“I thought the coaches I got on my staff that have been in Final Fours have talked to them. I mean, we’ve all talked to them. Believe it or not, we’ve got to play better, but so proud of them. I mean, we’re not a team that can just go out and play and win.”

It is almost guaranteed that any other coach in the Elite Eight would dismiss a writer for broaching the topic, but Izzo stands alone with his status in college basketball history.

The man so closely associated with March knows what he wants, and it is well within sight.