Former Michigan State AD Expressing Interest in Return

The Spartans' former athletic director seems ready to come back.

MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz, pictured Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, during the Board of Trustees meeting. | Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of Michigan State's former athletic directors is ready to come back.

Mark Hollis told Larry Lage of the Associated Press on Monday that he'd be interested in a return to his alma mater. Hollis was the AD at MSU from January 2008 to January 2018, when he retired in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal. Hollis maintains that he did not know about the allegations against Nassar until they were reported in 2016.

Hollis' Time as AD

Sep 2, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans A.D. Mark Hollis comes out of tunnel before a game against the Furman Paladins at Spartan Stadium. | Mike Carter-Imagn Images

Hollis' stint at his alma mater is remembered for the creativity of his promotions. He helped make "The Cold War" between MSU and Michigan hockey at Spartan Stadium, with attendance of nearly 75,000 being a world record for a hockey game at the time. He helped make the "Basketbowl" between the Spartans and Kentucky at Ford Field in 2003 happen. Michigan State played its first game on an aircraft carrier against North Carolina in 2011 under Hollis' watch.

There was also plenty of success to go around on both the football field and the basketball court. It helps to have Tom Izzo as coach, but Hollis also played a role in hiring Mark Dantonio. Multiple Big Ten Championships, plenty of victories over Michigan, a Rose Bowl win, and a College Football Playoff berth followed that in what is still the modern-era golden age for MSU football.

Why Hollis Could, Could Not Work

Sep 17, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio talks with Michigan State Spartans athletic director Mark Hollis prior to a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. | Mike Carter-Imagn Images

Bringing Hollis in to replace J Batt would certainly furrow some eyebrows. College athletics in 2026 is a totally different thing than it was when Hollis left in 2018. Hollis would have to worry about NIL, revenue-sharing, and a noticeably bigger (and richer) Big Ten Conference. Those weren't factors during Hollis' tenure, and he hasn't gotten experience with it at another school. He's been the tournament director of the Rocket Classic on the PGA Tour.

Coming back on an interim basis would make the most sense. Jon Palumbo is currently the name expected to get that title, but Hollis has been in that chair for a decade. It's a different world now, but holding things down for however many months it takes to find a new president and AD should be doable.

Oct 29, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio (right) and Michigan State Spartans A.D. Mark Hollis talk before a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Spartan Stadium. | Mike Carter-Imagn Images

Bringing back an older, relatively popular name would be a nice boost for the fanbase. People are understandably mad right now, but a return by Hollis could help. Dantonio returning in the wake of Mel Tucker's firing would be a similar vibe. It's mostly an honorary role, but it's a way to show support in an hour of need while also giving people something to feel good about.

President Kevin Guskiewicz is still around, technically. He'll likely make the final, official call on who the interim AD will be. We'll see if Hollis tossing his hat in the ring influences anything.

Mark Hollis, CEO of Rock Ventures Sports & Entertainment, smiles as he puts away his putter during the Rocket Classic Pro-Am in Detroit on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. | David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images