Alan Haller releases statement ahead of Michigan State departure

After Michigan State announced its plans to part ways, outgoing athletics director Alan Haller released a statement Friday. It marks his first comments since the announcement.

Haller’s last day as MSU’s AD will be May 11, meaning he will have served in the role for just over three years. Men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo and current deputy athletics director Jennifer Smith will serve as co-interim athletics directors, and search firm TurnkeyZRG will lead the search for a full-time replacement.

In his statement, Haller specifically called out people “in positions of significant influence” at the university. That said, he reflected on his record and looked back on his time at the school both as a student and an employee.

A letter from Alan Haller to the MSU community: pic.twitter.com/4rwy8PLIXS

— Graham Couch (@Graham_Couch) May 2, 2025

“Throughout my career, I have consistently spoken up when I believed something was not right – always guided by a commitment to protect students and uphold the best interests of the University,” Haller wrote. “At times, those decisions have not aligned with individuals in positions of significant influence. Although I am deeply saddened to be leaving the University, I am proud of my record and the lasting impact of my work. As I continue to process this decision, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Spartan community for their unwavering support.

“Serving as Vice President and Director of Athletics at Michigan State University has been one of the greatest honors of my life. For 32 years, I have been a Spartan—first as a student-athlete in track and football, then as a Police Officer, and later in various leadership roles within Spartan Athletics. … I am deeply grateful to my colleagues who stood alongside me. Together, we navigated some of the most difficult challenges in our history and celebrated some of our most meaningful victories. Leading Spartan Athletics through both has been a highlight of my professional life.”

Alan Haller played football at Michigan State from 1988-91 and became a fifth-round pick in the 1992 NFL Draft. After a brief NFL career, he returned to East Lansing as a police officer for the MSU Police Department before joining the athletic department in 2010 as the school’s associate athletics director.

During his time as AD, Haller’s most notable decision was with the football program. Michigan State fired head coach Mel Tucker amid allegations of sexual misconduct and a Title IX investigation at the time. Haller then brought in Jonathan Smith as the full-time replacement ahead of the 2024 season after an impressive run at Oregon State.