Michigan State tabs Kayli Johnson as new director of recruiting communications and operations
Michigan State has hired Kayli Johnson as its new director of recruiting communications and operations, sources tell SpartanMag.com.
A former Michigan State track & field athlete, Johnson spent the 2023 season with Rutgers as its assistant director of recruiting operations. She has also worked with the SoundMind SoundBody training academy, where she connected with many Detroit-area recruits.
Sources told SpartanMag.com that Johnson turned down similar opportunities with the new coaching staffs at Alabama and Michigan this offseason.
Johnson spent the 2022 season working for the Detroit Lions’ stadium operations team at Ford Field. She took a recruiting and operations intern role for Texas Tech’s football program in 2021.
While in Lubbock, Tx., Johnson competed as a thrower for the Red Raiders’ track & field team. She earned First Team All-American honors and won the Big 12 shot put title during her final season with Texas Tech. Prior to that, Johnson was a captain for Michigan State’s track & field team. She competed for the Spartans for four seasons (2016-20).
Johnson began her career in college football in 2016, when she took a job as a student recruiting assistant for Michigan State’s football program.
Johnson grew up in Detroit. She is the sister of Michigan sophomore defensive back Will Johnson.
Johnson will report to new Michigan State general manager Cole Moore, who joined head coach Jonathan Smith in East Lansing earlier this fall. Moore previously held the same role under Smith at Oregon State.
Former director of recruiting communications and opertations, Austin D’Armond, will move to a director of player personnel role for the Michigan State defense. Sean Levy, a carry-over from the Spartans’ previous staff, will take over as director of offensive player personnel.
Johnson will provide Michigan State with key connections to recruits in the SoundMind SoundBody program, as well as programs from Texas and New Jersey. Michigan State’s recruiting department also includes director of recruiting and player relations Michael Doctor, director of scouting Darius Hicks and director of player engagement Kurt Richardson, among others.
