Tom Izzo weighs in on Michigan State’s coaching search

Legendary Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo started his head coaching career in 1995, the year Nick Saban started his head coaching tenure for the Spartans football team. In the close to three decades since Izzo started, there’s on;y been three ootbsll coaches he has worked with: Saban, Mark Dantonio and Mel Tucker.

Michigan State will be hiring a new head coach soon, and Izzo said during his media day press conference that he hopes he can help out.

“I hope so,” Izzo said. “I really do. I’ve been a sounding board for a lot of hires here. When you’re here for 100 years, you should have some sounding board on what you do. That doesn’t mean I’m in on the decision making. It’s means I’m a sounding board. I think the other thing that I have an advantage of is when you stay in it this long and you have a love for football and some of your best friends are in football, I think you have the contacts and the ability to help in the search in that way. I know there’s headhunters. I have feelings about certain things. Whatever (athletic director Alan Haller) and the board and whoever else is involved needs me to do, I’m suiting up.”

The Spartans first announced their intention to fire Tucker on Sept. 18 after allegations of sexual harassment were made public earlier in the month. Michigan State formally fired Tucker for cause Sept. 27.

Harlon Barnett has served as the acting head coach since Tucker was suspended. Izzo was complementary of the job Barnett has done in the difficult situation.

“I was also very proud of the job Harlon Barnett is doing,” Izzo said. “When you get thrown adversity right, left and haymakers coming in all ways. It’s not easy. I was on that sideline and I had an incredible appreciation for what he did, how he did, how the players were, how they acted. Yeah, we all want wins and there were some things that were a shame. But it’s gonna work out and we’re gonna move forward. We’ve got an incredible facility. This is a very, very good football job.”

Izzo also admitted during the press conference that football is a more important sport to Michigan State than the men’s basketball team, despite the success and notoriety of the Izzo’s squad.

“Football is the most important sport here and I’ve said that,” Izzo said. “I saw a special where Duke, Kentucky, Kansas — I mean, those are the basketball schools of all basketball schools — and all their football is better because it’s important in the big picture of not only raising money, but just exposure. I will remain a big time football fan and do anything I can do to help.”