Byrd's foot still an issue

Before ducking into a session at the Big Ten spring meetings -- and sharing a few laughs and stories with Joe Paterno, who was on his way out of a football session -- Tom Izzo said redshirt freshman guard Russell Byrd's left foot is giving him trouble again. The foot has required two surgeries since last May, finally healed enough for him to start practicing in January, but forced Byrd to sit out the final couple weeks of MSU's individual workouts that recently ended.

    Izzo said more X-ray results are expected Friday. He said he isn't concerned at this point that Byrd will have to miss next season as well.

    “I’m not but I don’t know," Izzo said. "I mean, I’m not, but the problem is if he goes another month or two, he’ll have 12, 13, 14 months off with about a month's worth of practice, to be honest with you.”

    The uncertainty over Byrd makes the Brandon Wood signing even more important.

    “They’re worried a little bit like it’s a Grant Hill (situation), maybe the way his foot is situated," Izzo said of Byrd's foot. "That’s why it’s so critical that we got (Wood). It’s even more important now than I thought it was.”

    Wood's arrival -- in tandem with a healthy Byrd -- would seem to open the door for Brandan Kearney or Dwaun Anderson to redshirt. Kearney seems to be the most likely candidate, but Izzo is leaning toward playing both.

    “He’s long, a good passer," Izzo said of Kearney. "Is he strong enough? The problem with all those guys is I’ve just seen them when they come (up). Anderson came up a couple weeks ago and played with our guys and played really well I guess. So it’s hard to tell who will pan out, but I don’t plan on redshirting anybody. If I did, Kearney would be a likely one because of his body. But I don’t really plan on redshirting anyone.”