That long title means Dykema will negotiate and manage contracts for Michigan State athletics. Dykema had been with the Lions for 15 seasons, the last four as director of football

Sources: Michigan State is set to hire Jon Dykema of the Detroit Lions as the executive senior associate AD/student-athlete management and assistant general counsel. Dykema will handle negotiating and managing contracts for Athletics. He was the Lions Director of Football… pic.twitter.com/gzhY67zPjd

May has previously only observed the rivalry from afar. He worked for the basketball team at fellow Big Ten school Indiana as a student and during his coaching career. The “intensity and passion” of Michigan-Michigan State was evident to him even through a TV screen.

Michigan men's basketball head coach Dusty May says the Wolverines' full attention is on rivalry game vs. Michigan State Spartans, following Ohio State win

This is as big a game as they come for the No. 12-ranked Michigan Wolverines. They're on a six-game winning streak and coming off a big win on the road in Columbus against Ohio State. Up next is a huge in-state matchup with No.