Latest news with #JBatt
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Plenty to do for J Batt, but Michigan State football is clear priority
EAST LANSING — Work officially does not start for J Batt until after Michigan State University's Board of Trustees approves his contract June 13. That doesn't mean the Spartans' new athletic director won't be busy. Taking a holistic overview of what will transform his new home into the top-10 athletic department nationally the 43-year-old believes it can become. Advertisement 'You've just got to look at all of it,' Batt said Wednesday, June 5. 'Really, my job is to support our coaches. And so what does that look like from a resource perspective? What does that look like from a structure perspective? Staffing, whatever it might be, I'm gonna get in and dig in with our coaches and figure it out and see how exactly I can be helpful.' Michigan State Athletic Director J Batt, middle, and wife Leah share a laugh with MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo, right, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, before Batt was introduced as the Spartan's new athletic director. SHAWN WINDSOR: New Michigan State AD J Batt knows the most critical part of his job: 'Football' At the forefront for Batt, who arrives after leading Georgia Tech since October 2022, will be reinvigorating MSU's football program. Since winning the last of Mark Dantonio's three Big Ten titles and making the College Football Playoff in 2015, the Spartans are 54-53 overall and just 34-45 in conference play. That includes the final four of 13 seasons under Dantonio and four seasons of Mel Tucker, who was fired midseason in 2023, and his staff. Advertisement Jonathan Smith, who took over last fall in the wake of the messy Tucker tenure that has the school under an ongoing NCAA investigation, went 5-7 in his debut season. MSU failed to make a bowl game for the fourth time in five seasons after Dantonio led the Spartans to 12 postseason appearances in 13 years. The program has not finished higher than third in its division of the Big Ten since 2017 under Dantonio and was 12th last season in the first year of an 18-team divisionless format. 'I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do, and I'm excited to work with him,' Smith said. 'Resources matter. … Facilities matter. Revenue share matters. NIL matters. There's a lot there. And we'll tighten up that, the No. 1 and 2 focuses, once he once he gets over here.' Batt pledged to fully support Smith, whose team has started summer conditioning and will open the season at home against Western Michigan on Aug. 29. As the NCAA case with the House settlement remains in limbo in federal court, which is holding up revenue sharing and a number of other matters that are scheduled to begin July 1, Batt arrives already holding a seat on the NCAA's House Settlement Implementation Committee, which should give Smith plenty of insight and MSU as a major player in shaping the future of college sports. 'Taking these new changes in stride and finding the opportunity in those changes is probably the most important part of my job right now. And all of our colleagues across the country, right?' Batt said. 'We're on the precipice of transformative change in college athletics — and change we need. I think as we move forward, hopefully into the post-House settlement era, we're going to look for a structure that's got new transparency, new levels of consistency across the board. And that's good for college athletics.' Advertisement THE PLAN: New Michigan State AD J Batt's priority list: Make connections, build fundraising That also returns back to Batt's vision for fundraising and seeking new outside revenue streams, as well as potential restructuring within the athletic department to enhance the Spartans' name, image and likeness programs. Though obviously it's far too early for a fully formulated plan, one concept Batt floated was to potentially have someone in a 'player management position' who could help MSU deal with players' agents and strategic use of revenue sharing money. 'Innovation particularly applies in college athletics, so we're gonna look at new and different ways to approach this industry,' he said. 'So whether it's revenue, new opportunities for revenue; we'll look at the way we arrange staff. As we look at new and different requirements to be successful in intercollegiate athletics, you're going to have to find new and different ways to serve our coaches and our student athletes so that they can do their jobs really well.' Hall of Fame basketball coach Tom Izzo, who served as co-interim athletic director during the search after Alan Haller was pushed out May 1, pointed to Batt's work as an assistant athletic director at Alabama as a blueprint. Not only was his friend, Nick Saban, winning football championships, but the Crimson Tide hired Nate Oats to revive their basketball program and had a number of other success stories in non-revenue sports while building the financial coffers though Batt's work in securing donations. Michigan State University basketball coach Tom Izzo speaks Wednesday, June 4, 2025, before MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz introduced J Batt (bottom right) as the Spartan's new athletic director. 'I wasn't looking for just a business guy personally, even though if it would have meant more money for my program, if they thought they could do a better job of that,' Izzo said. 'I think there has to be a balance. I think we're past the days of my former football coach becoming the AD, like happened in my high school, like happened at the college I was at. I don't think that's a clean slate anymore, either.' Advertisement Batt is MSU's first athletic director hired with no ties to MSU since Merritt Norvell (1995-99). He also is the first person to lead the Spartans who arrives already having worked as an AD since Merrily Dean Baker (1992-95), who hired both Izzo and Saban. 'I don't know that's a good thing or a bad thing,' Batt said of being an MSU outsider. 'But I'll tell you: I've certainly worked at a lot of different institutions where I might not have had a tie before, and we've been able to be pretty successful. So it'll work out.' Contact Chris Solari: csolari@ Follow him @chrissolari. Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State athletic director J Batt's priority: football
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Georgia Tech Football Faces Crossroads Season With New AD Coming
Georgia Tech Football Faces Crossroads Season With New AD Coming originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The past decade on The Flats has been a slow fade from national relevance, but now Georgia Tech finds itself at a critical inflection point. Brent Key, once the sentimental interim, now sits in year three as the full-time head coach with a 14–12 record and back-to-back bowl appearances—the program's first such streak in a decade. Yet the momentum is fragile, and the stakes in Atlanta have never been higher. Advertisement Georgia Tech enters 2025 perched on the edge of two futures. One where it fully reclaims its spot among college football's power programs. The other? A slow slide into irrelevance, watching rivals surge ahead while Tech spins its wheels in neutral. Brent Key's Balancing Act Let's be honest: Brent Key didn't win this job in a traditional way—he was handed the keys during a turbulent transition. Now, with a new athletic director expected to step in following the exit of J Batt, the honeymoon might be over. Key's record—14-12 over two seasons (7-6 in both 2023 and 2024)—is steady, not spectacular. And while bowl games are better than basement finishes, steady won't keep you employed for long in today's arms race of college football. Especially not in Atlanta, a city with SEC-sized expectations and no patience for stagnation. Advertisement The upcoming schedule won't allow him to hide. Georgia Tech's 2025 slate reads like a national showcase: Georgia. Tennessee. Notre Dame. Colorado. Those are more than just games—they're high-stakes auditions. Win, or even compete credibly, and the program could earn an invitation back into college football's exclusive rooms. Lose big, and a coaching search might finally begin in earnest. Where Does Tech Fit in the New ACC? Tech's urgency is only heightened by the ACC's newly introduced revenue model, which prioritizes performance and TV ratings. No more guaranteed slices of the pie—schools that show up in primetime and win reap bigger rewards. So, where does Georgia Tech stand? Somewhere in the middle. This season is a golden opportunity to change that narrative. Advertisement The Yellow Jackets are one of the few programs in the ACC with the combination of brand potential and big-game matchups to cash in. But without tangible results—wins, rankings, and national buzz—Tech risks being just another mid-tier program fighting over the scraps Clemson, Florida State, and now SMU leave behind. J Batt's Blueprint and the Search for a Successor J Batt didn't stay long, but he left a trail of bold moves and financial fixes that gave the program a real shot at relevance. Before arriving in Atlanta, Batt was Alabama's financial engineer, a behind-the-scenes operator helping fund the Saban Empire. At Tech, he went to work immediately: a record-setting $78.2 million haul for the Alexander-Tharpe Fund. A $500 million "Full Steam Ahead" facilities overhaul. Hyundai naming rights for Grant Field. A neutral-site Georgia rivalry game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. These weren't Band-Aids—these were surgical moves to bring Tech football into the modern era. Advertisement Revenue jumped from $29 million to $59 million. Georgia Tech leapt from 66th to 38th in Division I football revenue rankings in under two years. Now, with Batt off to greener pastures, Jon Palumbo—who's been in the department since 2022—takes over. Whether he maintains the same aggressive vision remains to be seen. But make no mistake: the next AD will have full license to make a coaching move if things stall. A Sleeping Giant in a Fertile State There's no reason Georgia Tech should be a middling program. The state of Georgia is a top-5 recruiting haven, and Tech's last two classes—ranked 33rd and 18th nationally—suggest Key has found a pitch that resonates. But closing the gap with SEC programs that dominate the region will require more than just talent—it requires proof of concept. Advertisement The good news? The schedule gives Tech a platform. The bad news? It also gives them nowhere to hide. And then there's the big hypothetical looming: realignment. If the SEC ever comes calling again—remember, Tech was a founding member—it'll be games like these that determine if the Yellow Jackets are ready to come home. Six Years Removed From Paul Johnson and the Triple Option Six seasons ago, Paul Johnson's option-based offense was phased out. The rebuild hasn't exactly gone according to plan, though the transfer portal has helped accelerate the process in recent years. Teams like Colorado have shown how quickly a new identity can take root. Tech isn't that far off—but it needs a signature season to flip the narrative. Advertisement That brings us to 2025. A year where bowl eligibility won't be enough. A year that could cement Brent Key as the long-term answer—or end the chapter before it truly began. Related: Georgia Tech Lands Explosive WR in 2026 Recruiting Win The Bottom Line In the NIL and transfer portal era, programs either adapt fast or get left behind. Georgia Tech has the infrastructure. It has a pipeline to talent. It has the city. What it doesn't have—yet—is proof. 2025 is the year to change that. Or else the new AD, armed with J Batt's blueprint and no emotional ties to the current regime, might decide it's time for buzz off. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
04-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Highlights, full video from new MSU Athletic Director J Batt's introductory press conference
Highlights, full video from new MSU Athletic Director J Batt's introductory press conference Michigan State formally introduced J Batt as the Spartans' next athletic director on Wednesday. Batt's introductory press conference was held on Wednesday, with the former Georgia Tech athletic director having the first opportunity to speak on his plan at Michigan State. Batt had some notable quotes during his introductory press conference, which are highlighted below. Batt comes to Michigan State after serving as the Georgia Tech athletic director since 2022. Prior to that, he worked at Alabama from 2017-2022, where he served as the executive deputy director of athletics, chief operating officer and chief revenue officer. Check out some of the highlights from Batt's introductory press conference or watch the complete video of the press conference below: Highlights Batt noted that Michigan State football succeeding is a huge priority for him and the athletic department as a whole. Batt said "Michigan State is not only positioned to survive, but it is positioned to take ground." Batt considers Michigan State as a top-10 athletic department in the country. Batt promised during the press conference that "we will provide Jonathan Smith with the resources he needs to be successful." Batt talked about the importance of NIL during the press conference, stating Michigan State is going to be successful at "championship levels" and they'll have a united plan to move forward Full Video Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
Associated Press
04-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Michigan State athletic director J Batt says he's leading a top-10 department in college sports
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — J Batt said Michigan State has a top-10 athletic department in the country. The school's next athletic director made it clear that the football program must lead the way to make his statement ring true. The Spartans have been shaky in recent years in the sport that pays the bills in college athletics, losing seven games last year in coach Jonathan Smith's debut season. 'It comes down to resources and across the board, we will provide him and his staff with resources,' Batt said Wednesday when he was formally introduced. Batt left Georgia Tech, where he was its athletic director since the fall of 2022, to take on the challenge of raising money and turning around a football program in the highly competitive Big Ten. The university's Board of Trustees, which approved the selection, is scheduled to vote on Batt's hiring on June 13 and his first day on the job is June 16. Batt replaces Alan Haller, whose last day was May 11. Batt helped Georgia Tech bounce back in football. He hired coach Brent Key, who led the program to consecutive bowl games for the first time in a decade and earned a spot in The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in nine years. In Batt's first season at Georgia Tech, 14 of 17 teams were in a postseason tournament. Before leading Georgia Tech's athletic department, he was executive deputy athletic director at Alabama and served as chief operating officer and chief revenue officer in the athletic department. Izzo reached out to his friend, former Alabama and Michigan State coach Nick Saban, as part of the school's search. 'Nick had great comments about him,' Izzo said. Batt recalled Saban speaking so fondly about Michigan State. 'He's always been so positive about this place,' Batt said. Batt also worked in athletics at East Carolina, Maryland, James Madison, William & Mary and North Carolina, where he played on the 2011 national championship soccer team. Batt is regarded as a strong fundraiser, an asset for any athletic department in this era of college athletics. At Michigan State, his top priorities will be to raise money and help the football program win. Universities will be allowed to share up to $20.5 million in revenue with athletes next year. Direct payments will be in addition to third-party name, image and likeness deals facilitated by school-affiliated collectives. 'We're going to be extremely successful and competitive in that space,' Batt said. ___ AP college sports:
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Georgia Tech football blasted for 7-win season rings reveal
Georgia Tech football blasted for 7-win season rings reveal originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The only thing more surprising than Georgia Tech finishing the 2024 football season at 7-6? The team celebrating it with custom rings, and the internet isn't having it. Advertisement Recently, Georgia Tech unveiled flashy rings to commemorate a campaign that saw the Yellow Jackets finish fourth in the ACC and lose the Birmingham Bowl to Vanderbilt, 30-27. Social media exploded with ridicule. 'Embarrassing. I mean, this deserves mockery beyond any nerd mockery,' one X user wrote, while another posted, 'Oh god participation trophies have made it to D1 college football.' The 2024 season had its moments. Georgia Tech did pull off an upset over then-No. 10 Florida State and stunned Miami with a last-second touchdown. But fans and critics quickly pointed out that Florida State finished just 2-10, a far cry from the resume-boosting win the ring suggests. Advertisement Instead of celebrating progress under head coach Brent Key, many saw the ring reveal as tone-deaf. While recruiting gains and competitive flashes were evident, so were lapses, like losing four of their last six games, including an eight-overtime heartbreaker to Georgia and the bowl defeat that capped it all. Another commenter posted, 'Who needs a participation trophy when you can get a participation ring?' The rings include dates of victories, including the Florida State and Miami games, prompting fans to ask: Are we just putting any win on jewelry now? Rings have historically been reserved for conference titles, playoff berths, or national championships, something rival Georgia knows all too well after winning the SEC and two CFP titles in recent years. Advertisement Georgia Tech fans, it's time for some tough love. Want rings to mean something? Expect more. Demand more. The Yellow Jackets have the brand, the city, and the talent to be great, but greatness doesn't come from celebrating seven wins. It comes from striving for more. Related: Georgia Tech Athletic Director J Batt Leaving for Michigan State, Per Reports Related: Georgia Tech Snags Receiver From ACC Rival in Transfer Portal This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
