Here's what is next for Michigan State after yet another leadership change.
Open Spots at President, AD MSU Athletic Director J Batt speaks during an event announcing the $401 million donation to Michigan State University from Greg and Dawn Williams on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
| Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The two most important roles pertaining to Michigan State athletics are now vacant. University presidentis set to leave the school for Clemson as well. His departure, announced on May 27, is a major reason Batt's move to Kentucky became plausible. That's because Batt had a clause in his contract that cut his buyout in half in the event that Guskiewicz was no longer the president at MSU.
The price tag, which will presumably be paid for by Kentucky, dropped from $5 million to $2.5 million. Michigan State's Athletic Director J Batt, right, hugs Nick Marsh after the Spartans win over Western Michigan on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images No president probably means that there will be no permanent AD for a while.
In the interim, a source has indicated thatis the favorite to take over Batt's duties. Palumbo going to Lexington too is easy to imagine, though. Palumbo followed Batt to Michigan State from Georgia Tech and has been operating under the title of Executive Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Operating Officer. Palumbo as MSU's interim AD is not finalized, but is expected.
However, Palumbo is not expected to be considered for the permanent AD role once that process begins. Palumbo seems like a logical choice. Not having a permanent president makes it nearly impossible to find a permanent athletic director. MSU hasn't even named an interim president to take over for Guskiewicz.
It will almost certainly be an extended period of time before a new permanent president emerges. Michigan State athletic director J Bass, left, and president Kevin M. Guskiewicz watch senior day after the game between Michigan State and Rutgers at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Thursday, March 5, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images That means someone has to be willing to operate under the interim tag for that extended period.
Palumbo can benefit a lot from that as somebody who hasn't been a high-major athletic director before. He was once the athletic director at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for four years from 2018-22, too. It was there that he hired Steve Lutz as men's basketball coach. Lutz made the NCAA Tournament both years he was there and is now at Oklahoma State.
Being in charge of a Division I athletic department isn't a foreign concept for him. TAMU-CC doesn't exactly operate at the scale of Michigan State, but it's tough to see the Spartans doing better right now. No matter how one slices it, though, losing both Guskiewicz and Batt is disastrous for MSU.
Just seven months ago, "alignment" was being preached duringMichigan State athletic director J Batt speaks during the introductory press conference for new football coach Pat Fitzgerald on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at the Tom Izzo Football Building in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesLoading recommendations...
Please wait while we load personalized content recommendationsA 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
Please follow us on Google to support us United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Why Michigan Football is in Prime Position to Edge Out Texas A&M for Elite TargetsThe Wolverines are battling the Aggies for a pair of blue-chip prospects.
Read more »
3 reasons San Diego State can contend for a Pac-12 title in 2026The San Diego State Aztecs will officially leave the Mountain West for the new-look Pac-12 on July 1, along with Fresno State, Colorado State, Utah State and Bo
Read more »
Aggressive Roster Upgrades Validate LeVar Woods High Priced Michigan State ArrivalSpecial teams has been made a clear priority for Pat Fitzgerald in his early days in East Lansing. Michigan State has had a pretty good run recently with indiv
Read more »
Michigan State AD J Batt Leaving for Kentucky After Brief TenureMichigan State Athletic Director J Batt is finalizing a deal to become Kentucky's next AD, leaving East Lansing after just over a year. His departure follows President Kevin Guskiewicz's move to Clemson, creating uncertainty for the Spartans' athletic program, especially new football coach Tommy Fitzgerald. Batt secured a historic $401 million donation from Acrisure CEO Greg Williams before leaving.
Read more »