Sports: Izzo Takes Charge

Right off the bat, Tom Izzo will face elite competition. But the rookie coach relishes that challenge. Arkansas, last year's NCAA runner-up. Perennial powerhouse North Carolina. And the likes of Louisville, Kansas State and Oklahoma State. Perhaps even UCLA, the defending NCAA champs, or Villanova, the Beast from the East.

During a three-week stretch, from the Maui Classic in Lahaina to the 'Great Eight' at the Palace in Auburn Hills, and just beyond, MSU will have faced this 'March Madness' caliber of competition. Only this buzzsaw stretch took place in November and early December--a rude welcome for Izzo to the world of bigtime college hoops. 'I don't think you'll find a tougher schedule in the country,' muses Izzo, mustering a wry smile at this farewell handiwork of Jud Heathcote, his mentor for 12 years.

Terry Foster, sportswriter for the Detroit News, calls this tough early stretch a 'baptism by fire.' 'That's it exactly,' says Tom, who hastens to add, 'But you know, I find it extremely exciting. What a great way to start.'

After attending the Detroit luncheon for the Great Eight, Tom recounts, 'I looked around the table and said, 'Man, this is a who's who of coaches.' There was Roy Williams (Kansas). Eddie Sutton (Oklahoma State) was over there. Look, there's John Calipari (UMass).'

Izzo fully intends to join that elite club and become a college basketball household name, if not icon. A tireless recruiter but not yet tested as a head coach, Tom harbors a burning desire to make it. And he intends to achieve success his way. 'I had a nice chat with (Kansas coach) Roy Williams,' he says. 'He came up the ranks the same way I did. I hope our endings are similar too. At Kansas he established a system similar to the one at North Carolina, only he imposed his own personality on it. 'That's what I plan to do. I've learned from the best in the business. I've also watched a lot of film and seen how the other coaches in the Big Ten operate. I've sponged everything the last four or five years. But I won't even try to be someone else. I'm me--basically a blue collar guy who has a football mentality, who believes that how hard we play is more important than x's and o's.'

So this season, don't look for radical changes. MSU will probably run a system similar to Heathcote's. Tough-as-nails defense, run when you can offense. Take percentage shots. The big difference will be on the sidelines, where you will see a different personality emerge. Tom remains optimistic about his debut season.

For a change, the team boasts strength up front rather than in the perimeter. The 'Backyard Storm'-- Quinton Brooks, Jamie Feick, Jon Garavaglia and Antonio Smith--will replace the 'Fire and Ice' backcourt as MSU's feature. 'We'll still run the ball,' explains Izzo, 'but our first option will probably be inside.'

Last year, the 'Swish and Dish' guard combo of Shawn Respert and Eric Snow led MSU to second place in the Big Ten and its fifth NCAA tournament in six years. Each has now signed guaranteed contracts in the NBA, and in their places are two inexperienced players--sophomore point guard Thomas Kelley, who spent most of his summer recovering from a stress fracture, and junior two-guard Ray Weathers, who comes off a summer tour with the Big Ten All-Star team in Japan that offered a glimpse into his 'next Spartan superstar' prospects. 'Thomas has enough skills to be like Eric Snow or better,' says Izzo. 'He's as quick as, maybe quicker than Eric, but not as strong. We need to cram a lot of learning (because of his injury).'

Tom believes MSU will sport one of the league's better front lines, beginning with senior center Jamie Feick, who has the potential to become the dominant rebounder in the Big Ten. While Feick is a proven force, senior forward Quinton Brooks and junior forward Jon Garavaglia have been less consistent. Indeed, if plotted on a graph, their productivity would resemble an electrocardiogram. 'Quinton has been up and down, but he is capable of 15 points and 15 rebounds a night,' says Izzo. 'Jon can make the biggest swing. This may be the year he comes out of his shell. I've seen players suddenly emerge when they have to, and this year he has to.'

Tom believes freshman power forward Antonio Smith 'can become one of the greatest forwards to ever play in the Big Ten.' 'He's every coach's dream,' says Izzo. 'He's a team player, works hard, is tough, and has a tremendous heart.'

Rounding up the roster are forwards Daimon Beathea and Steve Polonowski and guards David Hart and Steve Nicodemus.

Helping Tom are stawart assistant coaches Stan Joplin and Brian Gregory, along with newcomer Tom Crean, who comes with a national reputation for recruiting. Most experts rank MSU between 7th and 10th in the Big Ten this year. 'The only thing that scares me,' Tom says, 'is that we might have a really good team this year and yet not have a very good record. But I think we'll surprise some people.'

If Izzo, ever the optimist, gets off to a winning start right off the bat, it will raise more than a few eyebrows. Stay tuned, fans. The Izzo era is here, and the prediction is that he will take MSU's program to the next level.

IZZO'S FIRST COMMITMENTS

As we went to press, Tom Izzo and his staff, Tom Crean, Stan Joplin and Brian Gregory, have received their first commitments:

A. J. Granger, a 6-9, 220 all-purpose forward, led Liberty-Benton High, Findlay, OH, to a state championship and an undefeated 27-0 record last year.

Ken Miller, a 6-11 center from St. Clair Shores, averaged 18 points and 13 rebounds a game and won a national AAU 16-and-under championship two years ago.