Michigan State basketball: No, Tom Izzo shouldn’t hang it up yet

A growing sector of the Michigan State basketball fanbase is convinced Tom Izzo should hang it up. I don’t think so, and here’s why.

I think it’s safe to say that no Michigan State basketball fan is happy with the direction the program is heading. After a disappointing 59-56 loss to Minnesota, I think almost every Spartan fan had something to say about the trajectory of the program.

And rightfully so. Michigan State hasn’t been the program we’ve known for so long after the 2019-20 season was cut short due to COVID-19. This is now the fourth subpar year in a row, and that just doesn’t cut it in East Lansing.

Displeasure with the program is at an all-time high and to the point where some are claiming Tom Izzo is the problem. I honestly don’t think you can deny that Tom Izzo is part of the problem. Izzo himself would probably agree with this. But has the displeasure grown to the point where Izzo’s seat is getting hot?

Should Izzo’s seat be hot?

There’s a small, yet vocal, group of fans who claim Izzo is on the hot seat and should be fired. The number of fans in this group is likely at an all-time high right now. But in my opinion, I think it’s absolutely ridiculous to say Izzo’s seat is getting hot for many reasons.

1. Izzo has earned the right to stay as long as he wants

Izzo deserves to be done coaching when he’s ready because of all the success he has had at Michigan State. All the Final Fours, Big Ten titles, and the national championship carry way more weight to his legacy than a few bad years tarnish it.

With all the success Izzo has had, I don’t get why you would want to risk losing him in the first place. He’s such a good coach where it’s possible for him to flip a switch on any given day and his team will start playing like one of the best teams in the country. Sure that hasn’t happened in a few years, but you can’t deny that it’s possible.

Michigan State did something similar with Mark Dantonio as well. I don’t think Mark would’ve ever been fired either simply because he is one of MSU’s best football coaches of all time. And Izzo has had far more success than Mark, so that makes it even less likely. You can’t just fire Izzo and ruin his reputation simply because he’s had a few down years.

2. It’s always gotten better after the bad years

This probably is the worst stretch in history under Izzo, but Izzo’s had bad seasons before. In 2003-04 MSU finished 18-12. Later in 2010-11 they finished 19-15. And what’s always happened after bad seasons or stretches under Izzo? He gets us back on top. Izzo likely will get MSU back on top if you give him enough time.

Michigan State has also made a run to the Final Four as a high seed multiple times under Izzo. Twice the Spartans made the Final Four as a five seed in 2005 and 2010. The Spartans also made the 2015 Final Four as a 7-seed as well. This year’s team could very well be on their way to a 7-seed, so is it that crazy to suggest that a Final Four tun is still possible?

You also need to account for that fact that MSU’s “down years” aren’t that bad. Yes, these years aren’t up to our standards, but how many programs would trade positions with Michigan State basketball? The last three years have been bad but the Spartans have still made the tournament. Some programs celebrate making the tournament just once. Some would throw a parade for making it three years in a row. I say this just to add some perspective that down years in East Lansing aren’t that bad.

3. Who are you going to hire that’s better?

This is the last and most important question to ask. Who would Michigan State hire to replace Izzo? Yes there are some good coaches out there, but are there any coaches who you’d feel confident would do better than Izzo is right now? If you answered yes, would those coaches want to leave their current situation they’re in? I doubt you can find any coach right now who you would say yes to both of those questions.

So if we aren’t confident someone can do better, then why get rid of Izzo? We’ll have this same problem whenever Izzo decides to call it quits, so why force ourselves into this position sooner than we need to. Maybe MSU will strike gold with their next hire, but I’m not willing to take that chance right now.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not happy with the state of the program right now. But I also know to never count Izzo out. If Tom were an average coach then his seat would be hot right now. But Izzo isn’t an average coach. He is a Hall of Famer. And you don’t just get rid of a Hall of Famer for having a few bad seasons.