With J Batt now leaving Michigan State for Kentucky, the Spartans are about to hire their fourth athletic director in eight years. This time, they have to make sure they get the hire right for the long haul.
In many ways, Michigan State has been able to weather recent storms because several of its flagship programs remain in strong hands. Football has struggled, but Tom Izzo's men's basketball program continues to provide national relevance, while hockey and women's basketball have emerged as consistent winners.
But if Michigan State isn't careful, it's going to squander this period in its history. Izzo alluded to as much when he touched on the lack of stability in East Lansing. He did it in part because when he speaks, people tend to listen. His comments underscored the reality. Michigan State must nail this next hire. Here's why.
The Job Is Low Pressure, For Now
Batt leaves Michigan State with several important pieces of the athletic department already in place. Men's basketball remains a national power under Tom Izzo, and barring an unexpected retirement, the Spartans should continue competing at a high level for the next few years. Women's basketball also appears to be in good hands under Robyn Fralick, who has guided the program to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
Football has a new coach in Pat Fitzgerald, who's eager to prove himself again after his time ended at Northwestern. Volleyball took a step forward last year in Kristen Kelsay's first season, winning 18 games and upsetting Sweet 16 participant Indiana. Then there's hockey, which has won three straight Big Ten titles under Adam Nightingale.
That means Michigan State's next athletic director shouldn't have to make any program-defining coaching decisions right away. Instead, the focus can be on establishing a clear direction for the department, setting long-term priorities, and giving the current coaches the support they need to keep building.
But this period isn't going to last much longer. Izzo will turn 72 in January. Realistically, he doesn't have much time left in his career. Once he retires, the stability of Michigan State men's basketball is at risk. The program doesn't necessarily fall apart without him, but finding the right successor becomes essential.
Michigan State can't find a quality basketball coach for the next 30 years if it has a revolving door at AD The Spartans need to use this window to settle that office before Izzo's eventual retirement forces their hand on men's basketball.
The Big Ten Isn't Standing Still
When Mark Dantonio called it quits as the all-time winningest football coach in Michigan State history, the Big Ten was a different place.
The Spartans had a pair of almost free wins in Maryland and Rutgers every year. Most years, that also applied to Indiana. Yes, the trio of Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan loomed large, but Michigan State could typically expect to hold its own against those.
The landscape of the Big Ten is drastically different now. There are no more divisions, four western schools have joined the league, and Indiana has zoomed past everyone to become a national power. That's what Fitzgerald has to contend with, and he won't have much time to build.
He's also now working with someone who didn't hire him. That matters, especially if success is hard to come by initially. Fitzgerald has to build something, and the foundation hasn't given him a lot of pieces. MSU can't afford to keep stopping and starting. It must decide whether Fitzgerald is the guy, and if so, what it has to do to make his success possible.
The Spartans Risk Becoming an Afterthought Post-Izzo
The reality is that parts of the Michigan State job are difficult even in the best of times. The Spartans have an awkward situation where the school they hate most considers them their No. 2 rival at best. Michigan's main rival is Ohio State, not Sparty. The Green & White don't really have anyone with whom the feeling is mutual.
Getting attention in the face of those giants is hard. When you're losing on the field, it's even harder. Michigan State can afford to be basketball-centric right now because men's basketball is a glamour program. But football also has to win. The Spartans rely on those two programs above all others to bring attention and dollars to their university.
The past two football hires have gone disastrously wrong. Mel Tucker had things looking decent on the field, but a sexual harassment scandal ended his career. Jonathan Smith was a solid citizen, but he'd never coached anywhere but the West Coast. His laid-back vibe fit perfectly at Oregon State, but made him a fish out of water in the midwest.
Bottom Line
As long as Izzo is patrolling the sidelines each winter, Michigan State will matter. But the end of that era is approaching.
That is why this hire matters so much. The next athletic director may be tasked with navigating the most important transition Michigan State athletics has faced in decades.
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