Tom Izzo gives honest take on NC State firing Kevin Keatts

Michigan State Tom Izzo head coach was borderline baffled by the firing of Kevin Keatts at NC State. Keatts was let go less than a year after leading NC State to the Final Four.

Izzo maintained the pressure went up for coaches in the NIL era. While it could be the same for the players, Izzo was still surprised at Keatts’ tenure coming to an end.

But, it’s not just an outlier because Izzo noted administrations could be very impatient. Keatts had a winning record at NC State as well.

“I just think that coaches nowadays are in trouble because everybody thinks, because you’re paying players, you should win,” Izzo said on Pardon My Take. “But other people are paying players too. You got a lot of problems with these kids leaving and coming and going and you can be up one year and down the next. I saw where they just fired the guy at North Carolina State. 

“He went to a Final Four last year. And I don’t know the particulars to it, so I’m not speaking about it either way. But you know, there’s administrators out there that are crazy too. You know, it’s not just coaches that are crazy. There’s administrators that are crazy too.”

Keatts went 12-19 this year and 5-15 in the ACC. Last year, the team went 26-15, winning the ACC Tournament and made a run to the Final Four. The Wolfpack were a No. 10 seed in the ACC and then an 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Didn’t matter. They still made the run. However, Keatts could not survive one season later at NC State.

Keatts spent eight seasons at the helm of the Wolfpack. After winning the ACC Tournament and reaching the Final Four last year, NC State finished this season with a 12-19 record and didn’t qualify for the conference tournament.

“The last eight years have been a dream come true, and I will always cherish my time being a part of the Raleigh community. I want to thank Debbie Yow for giving me this tremendous opportunity to lead the Wolfpack back to the top of the ACC,” Keatts’ statement read. “Her leadership and vision brought so many great coaches to NC State. 

“I am extremely proud of what we accomplished during my time here. … As we enter this new era of college sports, I wholeheartedly believe that I am leaving the program in a better position to succeed than when I started – and that the basketball program will continue to thrive when supported to the level necessary to compete. Finally, thank you to all the players, assistant coaches, managers, staff and supporters that joined my family and I on this journey.”