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Coen Carr Keeps His Michigan State Future Open
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- Coen Carr Keeps His Michigan State Future Open
Michigan State forward Coen Carr spoke at the Spartans' media day Thursday in a video posted by SpartanMag , and he is not ready to say whether this is his last season in East Lansing. Carr is in his fourth season in college, and the NCAA's new age-based eligibility rules could leave him a fifth. Players with eligibility remaining after last season are now judged under either the old rules or the new five-year window, whichever is more beneficial to them.
"I'm kinda just taking it one day at a time, you know. Just making sure I take advantage every day, not really looking at the future to be honest," Carr said. "Just trying to take it day by day, and I feel like whatever's gonna come is gonna come, and it's gonna be right for me."
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What Coen Carr Still Needs For The NBA
If Carr wants to leave for the pros, it is likely a shooting jump is needed. Carr may be physically ready for the NBA, but shooting 27.6% from three on 2.2 attempts per game isn't good enough for scouts to overlook.
Carr Told To Be More Aggressive
The coaching staff wants Carr to take more responsibility offensively. The Spartans need someone to help fill the scoring void left by big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, who combined for 23.6 points per game last season before both graduated.
"They told me they want me to be more aggressive, so that's just what ima try to do, you know, try to look for my shot, and also, you know, being aggressive isn't just about looking for your shot; you can also find ways to get your teammates open and everything," Carr said.
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Carr hopes not only to make another scoring jump, but also to improve as a playmaker. Carr jumped to 12 points per game last season, after averaging 8.1 the season prior. Carr's playmaking hasn't been seen often at MSU. He averaged 1.2 assists per game last season, and got five assists in a game just once. Because Carr is an interior force when he drives, defenses crash, leaving his teammates open on the wings; he needs to develop the skill to kick it out consistently to help them.
Pressure Means You Want It
"I mean if you don't feel the pressure, then I feel like you don't want it bad enough, you know, to be that," Carr said. "But it's just how you deal with it, you know. There's going to be pressure everywhere, on all the time, so it's just how you handle it, and how you deal with it, so we try not to worry about it too much."
Many factors are adding pressure on the Spartans to make a Final Four run this season. The Final Four will be played at Ford Field in Detroit on April 3 and 5, with Michigan State listed as the host institution. The last time Detroit hosted was 2009, when the Spartans made a run to the championship game before losing to North Carolina 89-72 at Ford Field. Guard Jeremy Fears Jr. could also be in his last season at Michigan State. Fears, voted the Big Ten preseason player of the year by a media panel , entered the 2026 NBA draft last spring before withdrawing to return to East Lansing .
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Carr Is Antsy To Start Playing
The Spartans already beat Incarnate Word in their first exhibition game on Oct. 2. Carr is looking to get the season going so he can start playing games and suit up again. The Spartans next host UConn in an exhibition Tuesday, Oct. 20 at the Breslin Center .
"I've been anxious since probably school started, to be honest, you know, just being ready to play, you know. After being away from it for so long, as far as playing games and everything, so being able to suit up is going to feel good," Carr said.
Michigan State’s head coach Tom Izzo, right, talks with Coen Carr during the second half in the game against Incarnate Word on
Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo, right, talks with Coen Carr during the second half in the game against Incarnate Word on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Michigan State’s Coen Carr dunks against Incarnate Word during the second half on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, at the Breslin Center in
Michigan State's Coen Carr dunks against Incarnate Word during the second half on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
