Michigan State has already lost its university president this year. And it looks like the athletic director could be next.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Saturday that Michigan State athletic director Jason "J" Batt has emerged as the top target for Kentucky. No deal has been confirmed yet, but Kentucky is making a serious push to bring him back to the SEC.

"The deal is not finalized, but Kentucky is amid a strong push to bring Batt back to the SEC," Thamel wrote on X.

SI's Jacob Camenker added that Batt is finalizing a deal, and an announcement is expected within 72 hours.

Batt has only been at Michigan State for just over a year. He was hired in June 2025 after the university paid his $2 million buyout at Georgia Tech. He signed a six-year, $12.6 million contract with the Spartans.

The timing of this could not be worse for Michigan State. President Kevin Guskiewicz, who was Batt's closest ally and the main reason he came to East Lansing, left for Clemson on May 27. The two had known each other for 25 years from their time at North Carolina.

With Guskiewicz's exit, a big part of Batt's reason for being in Michigan was gone. Kentucky's pursuit started gaining traction shortly after.

If Batt leaves, he will be Michigan State's fourth athletic director to go since 2021. Ironically, just a day before Thamel's report, Board of Trustees chair Brianna Scott said that she expected Batt to remain on board, which clearly was not the full picture.

Batt was not just any athletic director. He launched a 10-year, $600 million capital campaign at Alabama. At Michigan State, he pulled in a $401 million donation in a single year. That is the kind of fundraiser programs fight to keep.

He would be replacing Mitch Barnhart, who has been Kentucky's AD since 2002. Barnhart announced his retirement earlier this year after 24 years in the role.

What Batt's Potential Exit Means for Michigan State Football

J Batt hired Pat Fitzgerald to replace Jonathan Smith as Michigan State's head football coach at the end of the 2025 season. It was one of his best plays in East Lansing.

Fitzgerald is still in his first year. Losing the AD who brought him in before fall camp even starts would be a tough spot to be in. Leadership going away makes getting resources, forming connections, and recruitment complicated.

If Batt leaves, Michigan State may head into fall camp without a president. A first-year head coach is trying to rebuild a program that has experienced serious instability in recent years, and according to Spartans Wire, the search for a new AD is ongoing.

Do you think Michigan State can stabilize its leadership before the 2026 season starts? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at the Michigan Football Community.

Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit