Michigan State has put a name on the interim athletic director job, and it’s the one that always made the most sense.
Jon Palumbo was officially elevated Friday morning after spending the past several weeks in limbo following J Batt’s decision to leave for Kentucky. Batt and UK announced Thursday that he will begin there on July 28, and the final buyout was set at $3.95 million.
Palumbo had already been functioning like the No. 2 in the department during Batt’s time in East Lansing. He served as executive deputy AD and COO, and he also carried the title of CEO of the newly launched Spartan Ventures before Batt’s departure became official.
“Jon has been an integral part of the innovation of MSU Athletics over the past year, and I have every confidence in his ability to maintain its positive trajectory as interim athletic director,” university president Kevin Guskiewicz said in a press release. “This will be a seamless transition for MSU Athletics, and we look forward to a successful start of the upcoming season for our programs and student-athletes.”
Palumbo’s path to this point has been a familiar one. He came to Michigan State from Georgia Tech around this time last year, bringing the same basic responsibilities he held with the Yellow Jackets, with the addition at MSU of that Spartan Ventures role.
He also brings real head-AD experience to the table. Palumbo spent four years as athletic director at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi from 2018 to 2022, which gives Michigan State a steady hand while it figures out the long-term plan.
Whether Palumbo ends up as a candidate for the permanent job remains to be seen, but for now he’s the logical bridge between eras. With Batt gone and Guskiewicz no longer headed toward Clemson, Michigan State is entering another reset, and this one at least comes with a clear answer to who is in charge.
“I’m honored to serve the university in this interim role, and I am grateful to President Guskiewicz for placing his trust and belief in me,” Palumbo said in the university's press release. “I look forward to working with our student-athletes, coaches and staff to build on the positive momentum we have established and continue to move MSU Athletics forward.”
Guskiewicz said in the release that he will spend “the coming weeks and months” evaluating options for the next permanent athletic director. For now, though, Michigan State has taken a necessary step toward stability.
In Other News...
Michigan State Still Doesn't Have Clarity On J Batt's Exit
J Batts move to Kentucky is on the calendar, but Michigan State still does not have a clear end date for his run in East Lansing. Batt is set to officially start with the Wildcats on July 28, yet he remains employed by the Spartans for now, leaving the athletic department in an awkward holding pattern as the transition continues to unfold.
The uncertainty matters because Batt was brought to Michigan State on a six-year deal worth more than $12.6 million, and his exit now has to be sorted out while Kentucky prepares to hand him a new role. For the Spartans, the bigger issue is less about the destination than the timing, with no confirmed departure date and no interim athletic director announced as the calendar moves toward late July. [Read more 🡒]
Why Anelu Lafaele Could Change Michigan State's Pass Rush Ceiling
Anelu Lafaeles first year at Michigan State offered just enough of a glimpse to make the Spartans wonder what might come next. After transferring from Wisconsin and sitting out the 2024 season there, he flashed as a pass rusher last fall before a foot injury cut his season short, and even in a limited sample he showed the kind of burst that can matter in a defense searching for more pressure off the edge. In just over four games, he was productive enough to put himself near the top of the teams sack race, which is part of why his return carries real weight for a pass rush that needs more impact plays.
Michigan State does have options at rush end, with Kenny Soares Jr., Isaac Smith, Kekai Burnett and Trey Lisle all in the mix, but Lafaele still stands out because of how quickly he can tilt a snap. The Spartans are likely to use him as a specialist rather than ask him to do everything, and that makes the next step even more interesting: if he can keep building back toward full strength, he could end up changing the ceiling of the entire front without needing a huge workload. [Read more 🡒]