3&Out: Key takeaways from J Batt's introductory press conference at Michigan State

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The top three takeaways from J Batt’s introductory press conference as Michigan State’s new athletic director: 1. Kevin Guskiewicz Aimed High And Hit The Mark It's been three days since new broke that Batt had been hired, and I’m still impressed and somewhat surprised that Michigan State was able to pull this off. Everyone in the industry says Batt is a rising star, and although we’re just getting to know him, I can see why. The credit goes to Michigan State president Kevin Guskiewicz. Guskiewicz came to Michigan State because he feels the institution is capable of great things. And when it came time for the sports-friendly Guskiewicz to find a new athletic director, Guskiewicz set forth with the same ambition and high opinion of Michigan State that he possessed when he took this job 15 months ago.  Guskiewicz smartly sought the support and opinion of Tom Izzo, throughout the process, including Izzo’s face-to-face meeting with Batt last week.  Meanwhile, Guskiewicz enlisted the help of search firm TurnkeyZRG. We’ve known that for a few weeks. What we didn’t know is that Guskiewicz sought Chad Chatlos to handle this search project for Michigan State.  Chatlos is the son of former Michigan State defensive tackle George Chatlos, who played defensive line for the Spartans’ 1965 and ’66 National Championship teams. George Chatlos played shoulder-to-shoulder with Bubba Smith, George Webster, Mad Dog Thornhill and those guys. Chad Chatlos, a former captain for the Naval Academy football team, is Managing Director, College & Coaching Practice for TurnkeyZRG. He has recently completed head coaching searches for Texas, South Carolina and Arizona. In past years, he has completed head coach searches at Mississippi, Kansas State, Rutgers and Washington State. On the athletic administrative side, he has completed searches for Utah, Purdue, Penn State, Texas A&M and more.  “I wanted Chad to lead that search because he knows what Michigan State University family is about and what it means,” Guskiewicz said. “And I asked him at the front end of that search: I want to know who the top five or six people in the country are.  “And he said, ‘Do you want to know the top five or six that are moveable? Or do you want to know the top five or six?’ “I said, ‘Chad, Michigan State deserves the best. I want to know who the best five or six are.'” J Batt’s name came up quickly. “Chad said, ‘I’m not sure he’s moveable.’ “I said, ‘Get him on the phone.’" MORE INSIDE SpartanMag.com