Tom Izzo Sends Strong Message on Retirement Amid Michigan State’s Strong Run

Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jay Wright, Bruce Pearl, and many other veteran college coaches have stepped away in recent years. Yet at 70, Tom Izzo is still guiding Michigan State basketball, even as retirement rumors continue to swirl around him.

On a huge day for Michigan State Athletics, when a $401 million donation came as a commitment to the university’s athletics programs, the Spartans received another piece of news. It was from Tom Izzo, who finally spoke up about his retirement.

He came up, took time, and squashed the rumors, saying, “I’m going to be around for a while.”

Tom Izzo has built a legacy with Michigan State. He has a career record of 737-302 wins, which ranks as the fourth-highest total by any coach through their first 30 seasons in college basketball history. He’s been around for so long that nearly 85% of his players who stayed through their eligibility have walked away with a degree.

Still, all this isn’t enough for him. That’s why the Hall of Fame coach is pouring all his efforts into winning an elusive second national championship to go with the one he won 25 years ago in 2000. And that’s something he revealed a couple of months ago. When Bruce retired, he joked with Mark Dantonio in his office about retirement.

However, on a serious note, he clarified his plans. “I gotta figure out who I can beat so I can quit,” he said on September 22, 2025. “Because everybody that beats me quits or resigns.”

Even when someone suggested he should walk away after a possible championship run, he brushed it aside with a laugh. “If I win the last one, it would be a cold day in hell before I quit, so don’t worry about that,” he said.

Also, last year’s roster has only strengthened his resolve, if anything.

“I do know this, for sure — however many years I had left before this, you can add one or two more on top of that,” Izzo said last year. “All because of this team, these guys, and this season.”

So even as he approaches 71, his drive and love for the job haven’t dimmed. You can see that clearly in the way Michigan State basketball has carried itself this season.

They’ve been off to a fantastic start with an 8-0 record. With this pace, Izzo is also being looked at as a Coach of the Year candidate. With three wins against ranked teams (Arkansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina), Michigan State has elevated its presence from No. 22 in the AP Top 25 preseason rankings to No. 7.

They last beat Iowa by double digits, securing a 71-52 win, and now their eyes are set on the Duke Blue Devils. After all, before he can chase his second championship, he has another long-standing record to improve. 

Basketball Can Tom Izzo improve his all-time record against Duke?

MSU hasn’t crossed paths with Duke since 2023, and with key starters still in and out, they know they’ll need everything they’ve got. This matchup has also been on their radar longer than anything else on the schedule. Practices have been tougher, the film sessions heavier, and the focus dialed in on figuring out how to slow down Duke’s biggest threats.

In fact, their prep for this one started before the season even tipped off. And of course, a lot of that urgency comes from Izzo himself.

He’s determined to improve his 4–15 career record against Duke rather than watch it slip any further. That’s exactly why he’s made it clear that he wants to treat every game as “the game of the year,” but this one means even more.

After all, Duke has taken both previous matchups at Michigan State, 72–50 in 2003 and 87–75 in 2019, and when both teams are ranked in the top 10, Duke holds a 113–82 (.579) mark overall, including a 6–2 edge over MSU.

So Izzo’s been pushing this team hard.

“It’s been an incredible month of basketball for us, as far as not any travel, teams we’ve played and how it’s gone,” he said after MSU’s win over Iowa on Tuesday. “We need a little practice to get better, and I got to do a better job with those guys. That’s all me.”

Now the question is whether MSU can finally hand Duke its first loss and end that 9–0 start.