unknown date 1995; E. Lansing, MI, USA; FILE PHOTO; Michigan State Spartans head coach Nick Saban during the 1995 season. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Imagn Images © Copyright Imagn Images RVR Photos-Imagn Images

What Nick Saban Told J Batt About Michigan State

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Jun 6, 2025 1:03 PM ET

Michigan State got a good one with J Batt, who was recently hired as the university's new athletic director.

Batt not only has a great track record as a fundraiser and hirer, but he's been surrounded by elite figures in college athletics, including Nick Saban, former Michigan State football coach and arguably the greatest college football coach to ever do it.

"He's been at some good places," said Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo when he took the podium at Batt's introductory press conference on Wednesday. "He worked a little bit with Gary Williams at Maryland, and of course, he worked five or six years with Nick Saban.

"If you can work for those two guys, you can work for anybody."

Batt was at Alabama from 2017 to 2022, where, by his final year there, he was serving as executive deputy director of athletics, chief operating officer and chief revenue officer.

Saban, of course, was the Crimson Tide's football coach at that time. While his tenure at Michigan State was very early in his tenure, it still holds a special place to his heart.

"I'll tell you that as long as I've known coach Saban, he's been so positive about East Lansing, about our fan base here, and about this place," Batt said on Wednesday. "And so, immediately, when Chad (Chatlos) reached out, and I had a chance to think about it, it was immediate "yes" for me, because coach helped frame that for me. He's so positive about Michigan State and his time here, it made for an easy discussion."

Batt doubled down on that when he spoke to reporters after the press conference.

"He (Saban) just expressed how much he appreciated his time here, how much he enjoyed the fans, how much he loved living in East Lansing," Batt said. "He had spoken so positively about his time here that, I'll admit it, it colored my opinion in a positive way."

Saban spoke fondly of Batt as well.

"Nick had great comments about him, and I think that is valuable to us, to me," Izzo said.

Saban served as Michigan State's head football coach from 1995 to 1999.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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