Michigan State basketball: Tom Izzo is still the man for the job

Despite losing another disappointing game at Indiana, Tom Izzo is still the right man for the Michigan State basketball job.

The Michigan State basketball season has not gone the way any of us had hoped. We thought the team was starting to make strides in the right direction, but then the Spartans lost 4-of-5 games, including Sunday’s 65-64 loss to Indiana.

This stretch is a culmination of the last four seasons for MSU, which has been sub-par for the standards in East Lansing. With the rough four-year stretch, many fans are starting to debate if Tom Izzo is the right man for the job. Some have even gone as far as suggesting he should be fired.

To me, these statements are utterly ridiculous, and here’s why.

1. Michigan State’s down years are still solid

As I mentioned, these last four years have not met the expectations we have at Michigan State. However, we need to put those expectations into perspective.

The last three years, Michigan State limped into the NCAA Tournament with a 7-seed twice and an 11-seed. If you add in this season, the Spartans are likely looking at a 9-11 seed this year. To put it frankly, 95 percent of the country would be ecstatic with this four-year stretch. As of Monday, only nine programs have an active NCAA Tournament streak of at least four. So every other team in the country hasn’t even made the last four tournaments and would be ecstatic to have the run we’ve just had.

Now this isn’t me suggesting that I’m happy with the last few years, because I’m not. But you do have to remember that the last few years have still been better than most programs.

2. The Spartans almost made a Final Four last year

Speaking of the NCAA Tournament, MSU almost made a Final Four just last year. They were one play away from beating Kansas State in the Sweet 16. If they win that game, the Spartans would’ve played a 9-seed with a chance to get to the Final Four.

So even though Michigan State didn’t make it to the promised land, they were extremely close in doing so. I bet we’d all feel very differently about the last few years if they had made it to the Final Four last year.

3. Is there a better candidate than Tom Izzo out there?

This last question is something that nobody who wants Izzo gone is able to answer. The basis of their argument is that there is a coach out there superior to Izzo who would have done better the last few years. If that coach does exist then sign me up. I’d want that guy just as much as anyone else.

But this argument falls through because you can’t point to a coach who would entertain taking over Michigan State basketball who we know would be better than Izzo. That coach just doesn’t exist.

This also isn’t the first time Izzo has gone through rough stretches in his tenure either. There were some rough years in the 2010s as well as some bad years after their magical run from 1999-2001. Izzo has gotten Michigan State basketball out of rough times every time before, so I trust he can do it again.

I will never say Tom Izzo doesn’t deserve some criticism for the last few years. In fact, I’m sure he would be the first one to criticize his recent coaching. But the fact remains that the last few years haven’t been horrible on a national scale and that Izzo is still the right man for the job. If he fails to adjust and hit the transfer portal this offseason then it might be time to panic. But until that happens, I fully support Izzo continuing as head coach.