Thursday, March 28, 2024

Izzo: "I don't know why. I just feel great."

October 2, 2015
<p>Head coach Tom Izzo quiets the crowd March 29, 2015, at Breslin Center during a celebration of MSU's win over Louisville. The win advanced the team to the Final Four in Indianapolis, Indiana. Kennedy Thatch/The State News</p>

Head coach Tom Izzo quiets the crowd March 29, 2015, at Breslin Center during a celebration of MSU's win over Louisville. The win advanced the team to the Final Four in Indianapolis, Indiana. Kennedy Thatch/The State News

Photo by Kennedy Thatch | The State News

MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo talked briefly to the media in his office Friday before the team held its first practice of the 2015-2016 season. 

Izzo has high hopes for this year and is using his experience to motivate him further.

“We’re really trying to take this to another level, that is the whole mentality that is the mantra of the year you know let’s take it to another level.” Izzo told reporters. “We’ve gotten to five Final Fours since we won it in 2000, and that is in what, 15 years, but we haven’t won another one. 

"And football motivates me. You know, if we can both have great years at the same time and build this athletic department into something that is incredible."

"And football motivates me. You know, if we can both have great years at the same time and build this athletic department into something that is incredible. I think that is motivation for our own players, so i’ve got a lot of reasons to be motivated, none more than nice to get to a Final Four, and nicer to win a National Championship.”

Coach Izzo likes the way his team looks this year too, but he knows it’s still early and injuries may present some struggles to the team.

“I like them. I have some question marks, one is at power forward as far as what we can do with Clark being out right now,” Izzo said. “But I think we have good guard play. Our centers have all gotten better. I think the positive and the negative is DD [Deyonta Davis] and Gavin and and Matt are going to get more work together as four and five men by necessity just because of the injuries, but that might help us in the long run.”

The Spartan head coach is also feeling more pumped-up than ever, and he’ll be looking to focus his energy on the court and turn that into opportunities for the team.

“I think (my energy) is higher right now," he said. "I don’t know why, I just feel great. I don't know if it is the whole atmosphere around here. I don’t know what it is if it’s my comfort level with where I am at or how I feel about it, but right now I have a high, high meter.

"I don’t know if I’m starting to appreciate life more and the opportunities I have, whatever the reason is, really doesn’t matter. I think this team’s got a chance to get better and they got better from the beginning of the summer to the end of the summer and they got better over the trip to Italy and I think I am looking forward to today’s practice.”

Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.

Discussion

Share and discuss “Izzo: "I don't know why. I just feel great."” on social media.