The Great, Underrated Tom Izzo

Tom Izzo has coached the Michigan State Spartans for the past 15 seasons. It took him two years to get the program where he wanted it. In those last 13 seasons, they have gone to the NCAA Tournament all 13 times, the Sweet 16 eight times, the Elite Eight six times and the Final Four five times. He's never coached a player for four years without taking him to a Final Four. That's as impressive a resume as anyone in college basketball has.

Yet, if you asked non-Big Ten fans to rank the four coaches in this year's Final Four, he'd likely come in third place -- behind Jim Calhoun and Roy Williams -- for most of them.

The reason he's underrated could be his style of play. The Spartans are a reflection of their coach. They are gritty, feisty, physical, and get everything they can out of their relatively limited talent pool. Yeah, they have talent. Did they really have more than Louisville, though? It didn't matter Sunday. Izzo's team found a way. More often than not, they find ways to go farther than most expect.

This year, the Big Ten was nationally trashed heading into the NCAA Tournament. Izzo has taken it upon himself to defend the conference and is carrying the torch into the Final Four -- in his own backyard. In 2005, he carried a 5-seed all the way to the Final Four. In 2003, he took a 7-seed to the Elite Eight. If his Spartans find a way to win the National Championship this year, there's no reason to not consider Izzo in the conversation as the best coach in the nation.

The way he has constructed this current roster is an illustration of his genius. Clearly void of lottery picks, the Spartans run a rotation of 10 different players. They've survived much of this season without the full services of Raymar Morgan -- who was expected to be their best player, but has battled a series of maladies. They can adapt their game plan to play any style. Up-tempo run and gun? They can do that. Kalin Lucas is as fast as anyone, as he showed while routinely breaking Louisville's press by himself Sunday. If they have to slow it down and play half-court, well, they can easily do that as well. Goran Suton sets up the entire offense with his presence in the post. Much like their coach, the one thing the Spartans always do is outwork their opposition. They'll rarely play a game where they get outrebounded, and they can defend anyone. Case in point, holding the high-octane Louisville Cardinals to only 52 points -- their second-lowest output of the season.

The only person who currently stands up to Izzo when it comes to sheer numbers is Williams. The two coaches have the exact same rate of Final Four appearances (once every three years on average) and NCAA frequency (every single year after establishing themselves). Other than that, I'd argue Izzo easily over anyone in college basketball.

You want Calhoun? In 23 seasons, he's won it all twice. So there's that. The rest, though, is not even close to the standards of Tom Izzo. Since UConn was first established as a power under Calhoun -- 1990's Elite Eight run -- the Huskies have missed the NCAA Tournament four times. This year marks only the third trip to the Final Four for Calhoun as well.

You want Mike Krzyzewski? He was definitely the best coach back in 2004, after getting to his 10th Final Four that season, having won the title three times. Since then, though, they have gone five straight years without advancing past the Sweet 16. Plus, he's clearly playing second fiddle on Tobacco Road to Williams at this point. Don't live in the past and simply anoint him as the best coach in the land based upon his success through 2004.

You want Rick Pitino? I count five Final Fours and one national championship. The same amount as Izzo, but he's done it in 23 seasons. Plus, Pitino was thoroughly outcoached by Izzo Sunday in Indianapolis.

You want Billy Donovan? Ask him how the NIT has been the past two years.

The next time you find yourself arguing with friends about the best college basketball coach, go ahead and ignore the guru from East Lansing. Nearly everybody else would flock to proclaiming it's either Roy or Coach K.

As for me? I'll stick with the underrated Tom Izzo.