When Michigan State hired J Batt, it made a statement that it was going to prioritize football. The ex-Georgia Tech athletic director turned things around in Atlanta in a hurry and he was a big reason that the Yellow Jackets were back on the map — even for just a second — in the college football world.
Batt came to East Lansing with big ideas and plans but didn’t stick around long enough to see any of them through. He did hire Pat Fitzgerald which has been his main contribution other than an NIL program that has kind of been a mystery to this point.
At the first opportunity, Batt bolted for Kentucky and left Michigan State in a tough position. The university needed to find an athletic director who was going to prioritize football more than the previous string of ADs had and who understood the importance of NIL. Batt was the right idea of a hire at the time, but he was never really a Spartan and was always looking for that next opportunity. Dan Bartholomae, on the other hand, is exactly who Michigan State needed.
Especially Michigan State football.
How can Dan Bartholomae resurrect Michigan State football?
Bartholomae was instrumental in Western Michigan’s sudden turnaround after some years of mediocrity post-PJ Fleck. He helped raise some of the most NIL funds in the MAC and that’s a big reason why Lance Taylor and the Broncos won the conference title in 2025. Now he must find out how to turn Michigan State football around.
It starts with money, which he vowed to provide in an open letter on Wednesday, but there’s much more that goes into it. He needs to resurrect Michigan State football from the dead, and here’s how he can do it:
Back Pat Fitzgerald publicly and privately. It starts with (money and) backing Fitzgerald both publicly and privately. The athletic director and head coach need to always be in communication and on the same page. If Fitzgerald makes a decision with a player or his staff or on the recruiting trail, Bartholomae needs to have his back and give him what he needs. A disconnect has to be avoided.
Upgrade Spartan Stadium. Upgrading Spartan Stadium is also a must. While the north and south ends of the stadium have been renovated to look like they belong in the 21st century, the sides look like something out of a 19th century prison. It looks back and needs a massive facelift to join the rest of the country. Alcohol sales and improved end zones were a nice start, but let’s keep it moving. There’s more that needs to be done, but this would be a good starting point.
Schedule some big-time future opponents. What makes fans want to come to games? Big-time opponents. Beating up on Eastern Michigan and Toledo is nice, but maybe sub one of those out for an exciting Group of Five opponent (Boise State) or maybe even some elite Power Four programs like the Spartans did during the Mark Dantonio days. MSU does host Notre Dame next year, Oklahoma State in 2029, and Cincinnati in 2031, and it goes to BYU in 2032, but more fun opponents like this would generate serious momentum for the program — especially if they start winning these games.
Give Fitzgerald a competitive coaching staff fund. If Fitzgerald wants to be able to compete annually in the Big Ten, he needs a coaching staff capable of beating the league’s best teams. Right now, he believes he has a staff capable of winning, but it’s not going to take long into Year 2 to find out who needs to go. If Fitzgerald does decide to make coaching moves, he needs a staff fund that will put him on par with some of the Big Ten’s top teams. Good coaches cost money.
Improve the game-day experience for fans. While seeing more fun non-conference games would be a start, improving the overall game-day experience is key. Listening to what fans want and executing a plan to implement necessary improvements will not only make him very popular with fans, but it’ll make coming to games much more enjoyable for everyone which means more butts in seats and more money for the program. More giveaways (towels to wave, shirts), cooler intros (bring back the chariot), and more tailgating events would be a really cool way to improve Saturdays.
Spend in the top-half of the Big Ten — at least. OK, we’re back on money. Michigan State won’t ever be able to compete in the Big Ten if it’s not willing to pay like a Big Ten competitor. Look at the teams that finish atop the Big Ten every year and look at how much they spend. It’s a pretty direct correlation. Spending a lot of money on NIL usually means more wins. Unfortunately, it’s a pay-to-win situation in college football these days and Michigan State needs to be in the top half of the conference, preferably close to the top five.
Set goals for Fitzgerald. I don’t think Jonathan Smith was ever given a goal by the past two athletic directors who oversaw his tenure. That’s probably why it never felt like the program progressed. Bartholomae needs to set goals with Fitzgerald and work with him so they get accomplished. Set a goal for him to make the playoff within five years. Set a goal for him to make a bowl within two. Set a goal for top 25 recruiting classes and those would be incentives for a bigger future contract. Give Fitzgerald, who seems to be very goal-oriented, something real to work towards.
Accomplish all of these within the next couple of years, and Michigan State football will no longer be a doormat in the Big Ten, and instead an annual threat to win 10-plus games like it was under Coach D.
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