Michigan State lost several key players this offseason, including guard Jase Richardson to the NBA Draft. The departures left coach Tom Izzo dealing with significant roster holes across multiple positions.
Izzo expressed his frustration with today’s college basketball during recent comments at a coaching clinic. His honest assessment showed how even strong programs deal with players leaving all the time in this new era.
Roster Depletion Sparks Izzo’s Frustration
The Spartans lost key players this offseason and had to work hard to rebuild their roster. Richardson declared for the NBA Draft after being one of the top NIL earners nationally and moved on to professional basketball.
But Richardson wasn’t the only departure. Michigan State also lost key players, such as Xavier Booker to UCLA, and Tre Holloman to NC State through the transfer portal, both seeking better playing opportunities elsewhere.
Speaking to around 200 coaches at the Shyatt coaches clinic, Izzo shared his thoughts on today’s player mentality. According to Jeff Goodman’s X post, the veteran coach commented, saying,
“There’s a football saying that ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going.’ The new saying now is ‘When the going gets tough, get the hell out of Dodge,'” Izzo told the audience.
Tom Izzo here speaking to 200 or so coaches at the Shyatt coaches clinic:
“There’s a football saying that ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going.’ The new saying now is ‘When the going gets tough, get the hell out of Dodge.”
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) August 20, 2025
The timing suggests this could relate to what Michigan State experienced this offseason. Even programs with strong NIL success, like the Spartans, who rank in the top 4 nationally for NIL merchandise, can lose players when they see opportunities elsewhere.
Michigan State has since responded to the departures by actively using the transfer portal itself. The program brought in new players like Kaleb Glenn (Florida Atlantic), Denham Wojcik (Harvard), Divine Ugochukwu (Miami), and Trey Fort (Samford) to help fill the roster holes left by departures.
Adapting to the New Reality While Rebuilding
Despite his criticism of the current system, Izzo has shown he’s willing to adapt his approach. At the same coaching clinic, he talked about putting players first even while dealing with constant roster changes.
“I’ve adjusted to this new era more than I think. Sure, there have been some rough spots. But players are the most important thing to me,” Izzo said at the clinic.
Tom Izzo: “I’ve adjusted to this new era more than I think. Sure, there have been some rough spots. But players are the most important thing to me.”
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) August 20, 2025
His approach to roster management reflects this philosophy. “When I go in the portal, the first place I go is to my locker room. I want to keep most of the guys on my team,” Izzo also said at the clinic.
Tom Izzo at Larry Shyatt’s coaching clinic: “When I go in the portal, the first place I go is to my locker room. I want to keep most of the guys on my team.” pic.twitter.com/T705ISGFHf
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) August 20, 2025
Izzo’s NIL concerns aren’t just about losing players. He’s talked before about “middlemen” who influence players and has questioned how the NCAA handles things. His biggest worry has always been long-term player welfare rather than immediate money.
The new NCAA revenue-sharing rules, which started in July 2025, allow schools to directly pay athletes up to $20.5 million annually. This has fundamentally changed how programs like Michigan State must approach roster management and player retention.
After losing Richardson and other key players, Izzo’s words at the coaching clinic show how even experienced coaches are still figuring out this new era.
