Outgoing Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller, a former Spartan football/track athlete, issued a statement on his impending departure Friday.

Emotional highs and massive lows dotted Alan Haller's time as Michigan State athletic director. The state of football ultimately proved his downfall.

Those, and a Hall of Famer in Izzo, are some of the pieces already in place that Michigan State’s next athletic director will inherit. There will also be massive challenges with schools expecting to shell out up to $20.5 million a year paying athletes.