Michigan State hosts Illinois tomorrow, in a matchup of two of the worst football teams in the Big Ten. Coincidentally, it's a pairing of the two teams which speculated to be on their own elite level, high above every other team in the conference, when it comes to men's basketball.
And Tom Izzo is a lot more than just the legendary Michigan St. men's basketball coach; he's the cultural anchor of MSU athletics. He's been in East Lansing since 1995, outlasting six different football head coaches and two interim coaches. When his reign in Sparta began, Nick Saban was actually State's head ball coach.
Izzo has been a steady presence throughout all the change, frequently crossing over to help support and fire up the football program throughout all the regime
changes.
April of 2024 brought the dedication of the $67.75 million Tom Izzo Football Building, a 65,000-square-foot state of the art facility.
The Tom Izzo Football Building is an addition and renovation to the Skandalaris Football Center and Duffy Daugherty Football Building, a NFL style facility that focuses on player development through three primary pillars:
- Performance – with an expanded 19,000-square-foot weight room, a sports science area, and multiple nutrition stations;
- Rest and recovery – with renovated athletic training areas and recovery modalities;
- Enhanced social experience – with a new player locker room, lounge and Nike Gear Lab.
Yesterday, at Big Ten Basketball Media Day, we told Izzo we'd like to get his podium session started with some football questions, and he responded, "love it!"
We asked about the football facility hosting Spartans Pro Day, and how that helps players prepare for the NFL Draft process.
"I think any new facility helps guys on Pro Day, and anything else, but I don't know how much it helps them," Izzo responded.
"In other words, the grass or the turf is the same whether it's in a shack or in a great facility. You just feel better when it's in a new nice facility, but it probably helps recruiting more than it helps guys with that."
MSU is not off to an impressive start this season, and not much was expected of Pat Fitzgerald's team during this, his first season in charge in E.L.
The long-term outlook, however, is much more optimistic, given all the big time money that has been poured into MSU athletics. The thought is that all these added resources, and upgraded facilities will lead to a massive upgrade in talent level.
"I think access to cutting edge facilities, especially with physical health, mental health, all the things that are in these buildings now is very critical," Izzo added.
You know, I think people worry more about taking care of yourself, because of the pros, both in football and basketball."
Fitzgerald hails from Orland Park, IL, a southwest suburb of Chicago. There are many cultural similarities between Orland Park and East Lansing, and thus, a lot of people believe that Fitz is a perfect fit, culture-wise, in E.L.
"I don't need to be Pat's PR guy, but I love Pat Fitzgerald," Izzo continued.
"You know, there's fits for places. I mean, I think I was a fit for East Lansing myself and I think we've had some good coaches.
"Some have made it, some haven't, but some fit the place; and he fits the place.
"He's got energy galore. He's a tough blue-collar guy, and that's what he wants to be, and that's what he is.
"And Pat Fitzgerald, you know we've struggled a little bit lately, but he's going to get it done there. I have no second thoughts about that. No ifs, ands, or buts; and being the big football fan I am, I hope he gets it done."
This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: Tom Izzo Football Building helps Michigan St in draft prep, recruiting
