Michigan State football has lagged behind quite heavily over the previous years. The program never remained out of headlines as controversies surrounded them, and every season brought even more misery, not just on the field but off the field, too. In three seasons under Allan Haller as the Athletic Director, the program has seen more lows than highs. The tunnel brawl tarnished the program’s image, then there were allegations against the head coach, Mel Tucker, and, of course, the failure to secure NIL funding. The AD’s role for Michigan State was more negative than positive. And on field issues?
Well, the on-field issues were never-ending as the program descended into consecutive years of mediocrity. The program was reeling with consecutive losses in seasons as the years 2022-2024 never showed any hope for MSU in the field. The program finished 5-7 in 2022, 4-8 in 2023, and 5-7 in 2024. Now, when you look at these seasons, the 2021 season feels like an exceptional anomaly where MSU finished 11-2. The rumblings became even louder for Allan Haller after his failure in securing NIL money.
The program needed at least $10 million to $ 15 million in order to make it a winning program. The AD, in that sense, failed to secure the backing of some of the billionaire alumni of the program. The AD even termed the NIL chase as “unsustainable” in an interview. “The question is, not just us, but any school: Is this sustainable? And it’s probably not,”. But we all know now that without significant NIL backing, programs wouldn’t even dream of walking out with a winning season, let alone making the playoffs. All of this eventually led to the Athletic director’s departure, who is now reported to leave the program on 11th May, as his contract was to expire this year. But who will be the replacement?
Michigan State needs a new AD; could it take North Carolina’s Bubba Cunningham? | Plus, @RoushKSR previews the Kentucky Derby and waits for his apology from Tennessee fans who got mad when he called Nico an “$8 million volleyball player.” https://t.co/0Vt2JLLcXf
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) May 2, 2025
Well, Andy Staples and Ary Wesserman of ON3 discussed the potential replacement of the AD and came up with a name. “The Current President of Michigan State, Kevin Guskiewicz, is the former chancellor of North Carolina. He worked very closely with Bubba Cunningham, the Athletic Director of North Carolina. Bubba Cunningham is from Flint, Michigan. Bubba Cunningham needs to get out of North Carolina. He did not want to hire Bill Belichick, he was looking for a traditional hire. So, if you’re Bubba Cunningham, and Michigan State’s calling, you’re on the first flight“.
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