College Basketball

Tom Izzo on Michigan State's surprise Sweet 16 run: 'I knew we weren't soft'

Updated Mar. 21, 2023 6:18 p.m. ET

Michigan State men's basketball coach Tom Izzo knew his team had to overcome adversity earlier this season as Jaden Akins, Malik Hall and Joey Hauser dealt with injuries — but he believed in his roster.

"I knew what I had and that I could motivate them in different ways," Izzo said during an appearance on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" on Tuesday. "I knew we weren't soft."

The legendary coach's faith has been rewarded with the No. 7 Spartans' upset over No. 2 Marquette to advance to his 15th Sweet 16 appearance. And what does Izzo think is key to this success? Toughness.

"You can win a lot of games with skill," he said, "but championships are usually won with the toughest guys who do the dirty work."

In an evolving sport where players have the option to enter the transfer portal, the coach clearly values that quality.

"If you demand something of a guy, he can just get up and leave," he said. "I had so many kids that wanted to leave after a year … but those that stick with it usually persevere and learn how to handle adversity and that makes the winning all the better."

Tom Izzo explains how college athletics have changed

Michigan State's Tom Izzo joins Colin Cowherd on The Herd to discuss the challenges in coaching today's athletes.

As high school players and coaches continue to prioritize skill, Izzo said that competitiveness and a hard work ethic are underrated traits in today's athletes.

"The analytics are always about size, jumping ability, skill level … They never measure the ticker. They never measure the heart of a lion … but it's the competitive great player I think that wins championships," said Izzo, who has led the Spartans to a record 25 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and an NCAA championship in 2000.

The Spartans are set to face off against No. 3 Kansas State on Thursday for a shot at the Elite 8.

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