Tom Izzo brings football mentality to the hardwood

What do you get when you hire a football guy as a head basketball coach? For Michigan State, it's their 16th Sweet 16 under head coach Tom Izzo.

Twenty-five years after winning the National Championship, Izzo and the Spartans are back as a two-seed. How has he stayed successful for so long? “There’s still only one way. I mean, you’ve got to be tough, you’ve got to be demanding, you’ve got to be accountable. That doesn’t change,” he said on "The Triple Option".

His passion for football helps him see the game differently, as he explained to his long-time friend, Urban Meyer. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to be able to block and tackle and not turn the ball over. For us, it’s the same—you’ve got to be able to defend, rebound, and not turn the ball over. That’s why I love football. I just think it’s easier to see those things in basketball.”

The Spartans will face six-seed Ole Miss on Friday. “This is the strangest team I’ve had in this respect. It’s not the most talented team. I’m not sure it’s in the top five, or even top ten or fifteen that I’ve had. But it might be the most connected. And as you know, especially in this day and age, having strong connections and really caring for one another goes a long way,” Izzo said. “We’re playing ten players. I guess that would be like playing eight receivers, or even two quarterbacks. It’s not the norm, but it’s worked because they’ve come together as a group.”

Will the Hall of Famer add a second National Championship to his resume? Only time will tell.

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