Tom Izzo Calls Nick Saban 'Greatest Coach in History of Football'

Tom Izzo and Nick Saban were both head coaches at Michigan State in the 1990s. After Saban's retirement news broke, Izzo commented on his former colleague, calling him "the greatest coach in the history of football."

Tom Izzo and Nick Saban have a relationship that dates back decades. In 1995, Michigan State named Izzo the men's basketball coach and Saban was hired as the school's next football coach. Looking back, it's one of the most elite coaching duos in Big Ten history.

Izzo stuck around East Lansing while Saban decided to move on. After five years with the Spartans, Saban took a job at LSU, where he won his first national title. 

He would later make a quick stop with the NFL's Miami Dolphins before a 17-year run with Alabama, winning six national championships.

Wednesday, ESPN's Chris Low reported that Saban was retiring after spending the last 29 years as a head coach. It shocked all of college football — only because he's the type of figure nobody ever expects to step down. 

After the news surfaced, Izzo commented on the success Saban enjoyed over the course of his coaching career.

“I think he’s the greatest coach in the history of football. There are a lot of great coaches, but what he’s done and the consistency that he did it — in an era where so many people and things are coming at you — is remarkable,” Izzo said, per Larry Lage of the Associated Press.

That's a belief shared by many.

Saban posted a record of 292-71-1 in a 28-year career at the college level. He won 11 SEC championships and seven national titles.

At Michigan State, Saban led the Spartans to a 34-24-1 record in his five seasons, including a 9-2 mark in 1999. He then took the job at LSU in 2000.

Related Big Ten Stories

• BIG TEN DAILY (JAN. 11): After a win over Ohio State, Wisconsin improved to 4-0 and looks like a true contender in the Big Ten. CLICK HERE
• JACK'S TAKE: Indiana showed a serious lack of leadership in an ugly road loss to Rutgers this week. Right now, the Hoosiers look like a group of players, not a team. CLICK HERE
• BIG TEN DOMINATES NIL SALES: Five Big Ten teams finished in the top-10 in name, image and likeness sales for December. Purdue led the way, with Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Nebraska also making the cut. CLICK HERE