Alan Haller alluded to a rift between himself and people in “positions of significant influence” that caused his firing.

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

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.