Inexhaustible Tom Izzo is never satisfied at MSU

East Lansing

For Tom Izzo, this is just about as good as it gets. His Spartans are No. 2 in the country, coming off a title game appearance in Detroit and favored to win the Big Ten. He has excellent players returning, excellent recruits coming and first-rate facilities to attract more.

As good as it gets. Almost.

This is why Michigan State has risen, and keeps rising, as a new-age power. This is why Izzo has stayed as coach for 14 years, building and fretting, fretting and building. There's no letup because in Izzo's world, there never can be a letdown.

The other day, he was grumbling about his team's preseason injuries, and extolling how tough the Big Ten will be, and worrying about the difficulty of sustaining success, and I had to interrupt.

You do realize your program is as touted and stable as it's ever been, don't you?

Izzo looked up, a bit startled.

"That's an interesting point," he said. "But ..."

But?

"It's not that I don't want to be satisfied -- I do," he added. "It's weird, but I've just seen so many good people that have done it year after year, and what can happen. Early in the year I even called (embattled Florida State coach) Bobby Bowden. I've said I fear getting fired every day and everybody laughs at me, but what I really fear is the program slipping even a little bit.

"That's what pushes me. Sometimes I wish I could take a break, but I feel like I can't rest for a second."

No resting, no savoring, no wavering -- the only formula Izzo knows. And now, he could have his best team since winning the national championship in 2000. The No. 2 ranking is Michigan State's highest in the preseason, although Izzo says it's a long climb just to be as good as the 2001 team that returned to the Final Four.

Stay hungry

Here's the fascinating evolution for the Spartans: How does a program clearly part of college basketball royalty maintain its trademark willingness to scrap as if its reputation is at stake every game and every season? Ah, a challenge worth taking.

"I never thought all this was possible in my wildest dreams, so I still have that humility," Izzo said. "My thing always has been, we want to prove everybody wrong. Well, this year, let's go out and prove everybody right. It is different, it is chancy, but it's the only way to go now."

Michigan State's ability is obvious. But will the intangibles -- the defense and the leadership, especially from junior guard Kalin Lucas -- be there?

The top four players are as talented as any in the country, starting with Lucas, reigning Big Ten player of the year. Raymar Morgan, Delvon Roe and Durrell Summers are loaded with all-around skill, and Draymond Green could leap up. The schedule is typically brutal, but the Spartans are deep with scorers.

But? But, underrated Goran Suton and Travis Walton are gone, and so are Marquise Gray and Idong Ibok, leaving Michigan State short of experienced big men. But, Kansas is slightly more touted, ranked No. 1, even though Michigan State won both meetings last year.

But, the Big Ten should be as good as it has been in a while, with Purdue hoping to do what Michigan State did. MSU focused on the in-state Final Four last season and wouldn't be stopped, until losing to North Carolina in the championship game. Purdue is trained on Indianapolis, site of this season's Final Four.

Dare to be great

So are the Spartans, who won the national title there 10 years ago, scary symmetry. Izzo has built something special, with five Final Fours since 1999, most in the nation. He's just as obsessed with maintaining something special.

Michigan State has two national championships -- the Magic Johnson-led group in 1979 and the Mateen Cleaves-led group in 2000. Another would put Izzo and the Spartans in rare company. Only 13 coaches have two titles and only seven programs have three.

"That's my big dream, the historical part," Izzo, 54, said. "To do it, you have to have that incredible combination of talent -- which I think we have -- and big-time leadership -- which I don't think we have yet.

"It's hard, and people here think the Final Four is on the schedule. But guess what, I feel the same way, so how can I complain?"

To get back there, the Spartans need Lucas to be a floor leader and a scorer, not an easy combination.

They also must develop capable big men from among freshmen Derrick Nix and Garrick Sherman, and junior Tom Herzog.

Last year's NCAA Tournament victories over Louisville and Connecticut, and that amazing trip to Ford Field, were pretty darn good. As good as it gets? As Michigan State has shown and Izzo has demanded, the more you accomplish, the more you want. It's a healthy obsession in East Lansing, as healthy as ever.

bob.wojnowski@detnews.com">bob.wojnowski@detnews.com