The Spartans were able to get to the Sweet Sixteen last year under the leadership of Jeremy Fears Jr., Jaxon Kohler, and Carson Cooper, but only the first of the trio has come back for another season.This means players will have to step up in big ways this season with help from Tom Izzo, such as the aforementioned Fears Jr., to lead the team in a more disciplined manner, and Coen Carr, to improve his three-point shooting, which would bolster his role as a hype man immensely.Legendary Michigan State University men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo is also one of the greatest male athletes to hail from the Upper Peninsula. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectHowever, these things are more intangible and have little to do with the physical side of things, but the issue becomes a whole different beast when it is looked at through this new lens.So what is MSU losing in Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler, and what have they been doing this off-season to combat it all?The Harsh Reality Of Losing Cooper And KohlerMichigan State center Carson Cooper (15) dunks as Connecticut forward Tarris Reed Jr. (5) can only watch during the second half of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.