© Craig Porter/Detroit Free Press-
Tom Izzo Praises Former MSU Coach Nick Saban
College coaching legends Tom Izzo and Nick Saban each became head coaches at Michigan State in 1995.
It's rare to have two legendary coaches with the same school at the same time.
Michigan State men's basketball coach Tom Izzo and former Michigan State football coach Nick Saban were both hired to be the head coaches of their respective Spartan programs in 1995, long before they became two of the most well-renowned coaches in all of college sports.
At that time, the two were just looking for success as young head coaches.
"When Nick came here as an assistant -- I came here as an assistant as well -- it was in '87," Izzo said when he recently joined the "Pardon My Take" podcast. "And [Bill] Belichick came here a couple times to work the camp, and Nick's house was not far from mine, and listening to Belichick -- the one time I went over there -- I knew Nick was going to be something good.
"And then he left to go to the Houston Oilers, then he went to Toledo, and then he went back with Belichick at Cleveland. And then, I got the job here, and then, six months later, Nick got the head job here. So, we reunited and we were here five years together.
"And did I ever think he would be what he is? No, no. Is it incredible what he's done? It is incredible. You can talk about having good players; a lot of people have good players and don't get it done. He is, to me, one of the greatest coaches in any sport, and I mean that with respect, admiration, and knowledge. I know what I'm talking about.
"I mean, you talk about demanding -- he probably did the opposite as I did. I put football pads on my guys to play, he probably put his guys in jogs and t-shirts and said, 'Now go tackle each other.' He probably went the opposite."
Saban left Michigan State in 1999 to become the head coach at LSU. The rest, of course, is history. Saban went on to win seven national championships -- one at LSU and six as head coach at Alabama.
The Michigan State Spartan Football Spring Green and White Game (Spartan Showcase) will be held at the High Cathedral of the Spartan Nation, Spartan Stadium, on April 20, 2024, at 2 PM.
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
