Tom Izzo Talks About Next Season's Expectations and What He Learned from 2011's Failures

Hondo: The biggest thing between Michigan State and reaching their goals next year is how do those 18-22 year old players that you have to coach handle the

Hondo: The biggest thing between Michigan State and reaching their goals next year is how do those 18-22 year old players that you have to coach handle the bulls eye of expectation? True or false?

Izzo: Well, I think that’s 100% true. For the most part when your program reaches a certain level, which we’ve been at now since I think probably 2005, where every year you’re expected to be something…some years a little higher than others, some years a little lower than others. There’s no question that we’ll be a top 10 team probably and I think we’ve earned that. I think the good things for these guys is nobody’s been given any of that. They’ve earned it. Some of them have earned it over 4 years, 3 years, 2 years or 1 year. I think most of the guys that come here now know what the expectations are. They know I’m gonna be demanding. They know our fans are gonna be demanding. I always say to you guys at press conferences that the Final Four is on the schedule. But the problem is, so do I. So that’s not all bad. Your key phrase is “How do you manage it”. You manage it by making a demanding schedule. We’re gonna play a lot of good teams, we might get rocked a little early. We have to figure out where we’re at. Yes there are some injuries…we have to talk about are you gonna get fat and sassy or is this summer gonna be the hardest summer you’ve ever worked? All of those things play a part in it. And I think it really comes down to is, are the players and the coaches really driven to be the very best? Are they gonna sacrifice and do the things that they’ve gotta do to get there? And that’s the challenge each and every year. This year I think we’re gonna have the kind of talent that is needed. If you can put the two together then you’ve got great chances for great things.

Hondo: What did you learn from that disappointing 2011 season?

Izzo: Distractions can kill a team. Being the best teammate you can be is what you gotta do to win championships. It’s been really interesting... I talk a lot to Draymond right now. That’s not a great team out there when you look at the talent of that team. But he said the chemistry of that team is unbelievable. The guys the way they pull for one another. I think that’s the one thing in 2011. We did not have great leadership and I think we did not have great chemistry. And I was pretty blunt about it if you remember, and we made some progress. I think we figured out what we have to do and I think people learned from that. I do as a coach, but I think players do as players too. Hopefully we’re gonna take that, grow from it and realize some of those old clichéd lines: “You’re only as good as your weakest link” and “Better teammates equal a better team” and “There’s no substitution for hard work”. All those good cliché lines are true when you’re trying to get to the championship level. Not just a good team. Not just win 23, 24 games. When you actually put yourself in a championship position. And even when we had questions we won the league. We won 3 out of 4 Big 10 championships. And one time when we had kind of average feelings about that we went to a Final Four. What you never know is what does the other team have? The other programs might have the same issues.