Jonathan Smith wanted to build a team in a certain way when took the Michigan State coaching job. Interestingly, he wants to follow Tom Izzo’s footsteps. Football and basketball are two games built on speed and power, with mental elements sewn in for good measure.
For the better part of three decades, Michigan State men’s basketball has enjoyed success. Can Smith and the football team tap into what makes Izzo a highly successful coach?
Will Michigan State FB Head Coach Jonathan Smith Rely on Tom Izzo’s Blueprint to Build Success?
Since 2018, the facts tell the story for Michigan State football, with the Spartans winning more than seven games just once. In addition, the Spartans finished the last three seasons with a losing record.
This is on top of the scandal that enveloped the previous coaching staff, to the point that the school needed to make a change. Smith wants to bring what makes the basketball team perennially successful to the gridiron. Smith spoke with Brad Galli of WXYZ (Detroit) about his mindset.
“Wins are vital to sustaining, and we’re chasing those down, without our roster and this athletic department. I like the approach of a blue-collar team; the game is physical. Some of Michigan State has had success, and we’re trying to recreate that again.”
Izzo’s track record profiles him as a coach whom others could emulate. The path for Smith exists with six Big Ten tournaments and 11 regular-season titles in the display case. The blue-collar approach implies a sense of working hard and doing the little things, the dirty work that earns victories against some teams that could be considered more talented or athletic.
For example, the team that won the 1999 national championship did not possess stellar athleticism. However, they worked extremely hard on both ends of the floor. Whether it involved fighting through screens in defense of hustling after loose balls, that team won with a work ethic. Similarly, Draymond Green could serve as a prime example of an Izzo player who defied the odds and succeeded.
Green was never a twitchy, explosive athlete capable of living above the rim. Instead, he was an undersized power forward. Center then hustles, using excellent footwork and vision to gather rebounds, spot the open teammate, and make plays. That tough mindset helped Izzo win 70.9% of his teams. A year ago, Izzo welcomed Smith to MSU.
If Smith applied the lessons that Izzo not only displays to the world but also the advice he gleans from private conversations, the Spartans football team could end up matching the basketball team in terms of success.
