A 2006 book about Notre Dame college football stated an uncredited adage:

“Freshmen just want to play and earn a letter. Sophomores want to start. Juniors want to win. And seniors are wondering where they’ll go in the NFL draft.”

University of Michigan basketball coach John Beilein popularized the adage in January 2012. “Beilein on WTKA @michiganinsider, ‘freshmen want to play, soph want to start, jrs want to score, seniors want to win’” was cited on Twitter on January 12, 2012.


Wikipedia: John Beilein
John Patrick Beilein (pronounced bee-line; born February 5, 1953) is an American college basketball coach and current men’s basketball head coach at the University of Michigan. He is the 16th head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. The 2014–15 season will be his eighth at Michigan. Beilein has won 642 career games at four-year universities (including games that were not at the Division I level) and 717 games altogether, including those at the junior-college level. He has previously coached the West Virginia Mountaineers (2002–2007), Richmond Spiders (1997–2002), Canisius College Golden Griffins (1992–1997) in Division I as well as Le Moyne College (1983–1992), Nazareth College (1982–1983) and Erie Community College (1978–1982).

Google Books
The New Gold Standard:
Charlie Weis and Notre Dame’s Rise to Glory
By Tim Prister
New York, NY: ESPN Books
2006
Pg. XI:
Usually, a football player’s best year is his junior year. Freshmen just want to play and earn a letter. Sophomores want to start. Juniors want to win. And seniors are wondering where they’ll go in the NFL draft.

Twitter
MVictors
‏@MVictors
Beilein on WTKA @michiganinsider, “freshmen want to play, soph want to start, jrs want to score, seniors want to win”
7:36 AM - 12 Jan 2012

Twitter
Tim McCormick
‏@TimMcCormick40
#COLLEGEHOOPSBABY freshmen want to play - sophomores want to start - juniors want to score - seniors want to win #marchtomarch
10:33 AM - 14 Jan 2012

Facebook
Beloit College Men’s Basketball
November 8, 2012
“Freshman want to play, sophomores want to start, juniors want to score, and senior want to win! “Right now we are REALLY young just hope the non seniors learn to want to win over anything else.

Eastern Washington
With Tournament Feel, Eagles Play Three Games in Three Days in Irvine
Nov 21, 2013
(...)
“Every coach is comfortable when you have great seniors,” he continued. “There is an old saying that freshmen want to play, sophomores want to score, juniors want to start and seniors want to win. We just need to expedite our maturity level with our guys in that regard.”

Basketball for Coaches
501 Awesome Basketball Quotes
November 4, 2014 by Coach Mac
(...)
“Freshman want to play. Sophomores want to start. Juniors want to score. Seniors want to win” – John Beilein

Facebook
BasketballHQ.com
April 12, 2015
Freshmen want to play. Sophomores want to start. Juniors want to score. Seniors want to WIN! – John Beilein

Columbus (OH) Dispatch
Men’s basketball | Buckeyes get chance to respond after loss
By Adam Jardy
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2015 4:33 AM
(...)
As for why Ohio State is lacking in the areas Tate highlighted, (Ohio State basketball coach Thad—ed.)Matta is still looking for answers.

“There’s always been the old saying that freshmen want to play, sophomores want to start, juniors want to score and seniors want to win,” he said.