One minute he’s shaking hands in the Big Ten, the next he’s ghosting campus for the NFL bag. That’s the kind of twist that’s got folks double-taking across college football. A big-name exec with pro ties barely unpacked his office before dipping out to join a $4.6 billion franchise that came knocking fast. After just three months, this behind-the-scenes power player is heading back to Sundays, leaving a whole athletic department scrambling and wondering what just hit ’em.

Much like Chip Kelly’s surprise move to the Raiders after his Ohio State national title, college sports saw another major shakeup—this time off the field. That’s exactly the case with Jon Dykema, a 15-year veteran of the Detroit Lions with expertise in contracts and salary cap management, who joined Michigan State as Executive Senior Associate AD for Student-Athlete Management and Assistant General Counsel. This was not just another front office, but a chance to work at a place where his career in athletics administration started for the Michigan State graduate.

“I’m thrilled to be returning to the place where my career in athletics administration began,” said Dykema.  Although not for the football program, during his previous stint at Michigan State, Dykema worked as a manager for the men’s basketball team for four years. During his time with the Spartans, Michigan State Basketball went on to win the 2000 NCAA Championship as well. The new role at the Spartans combined his business acumen with his legal background.

Jon jumped right into the complexities of Michigan State athletics, handling sponsorship contracts, NIL deals, and media rights. He collaborated closely with coaches, athletes, and administrators, ensuring all deals were legally sound. Reporting to both the general counsel and athletic department, he expertly navigated NCAA regulations. Surprisingly, after only a short time, Dykema is moving on. CBS Sports and 247Sports report the Jacksonville Jaguars have hired him, luring him away from East Lansing before he could fully settle in.

The writing had been on the wall for Ethan Waugh when James Gladstone became the Jaguars’ new general manager. Waugh, the assistant and interim GM, steered the team through the 2025 NFL Draft. However, Gladstone quickly reshaped the front office, bringing in his own team. Jon Dykema is now a key part of that plan. With Tony Boselli and Liam Coen already onboard, Gladstone is assembling his executive team, and Dykema seems poised to be a crucial addition. But why?

Dykema’s rise to success wasn’t accidental; he steadily climbed the ladder. Starting with a 2003 internship, he joined the Detroit Lions in 2011 as Staff Counsel. He then progressed through various roles – Interim General Counsel, Manager of Football Administration, and finally, Director of Football Compliance/Lead Football Counsel. For almost 15 years, he expertly handled contracts, compliance, and the salary cap. His experience extends beyond the NFL; from 2007 to 2011, he was Director of Men’s Basketball Operations at Utah, earning his JD and MBA from Akron. His Michigan State roots run deep – he managed the Spartans’ basketball team from 1999 to 2003, before returning.

So, losing him will be a big blow for Michigan State. Now, on one side, the Spartans might lose their key member; on the other, their 2025 season outlook, once full of question marks, is now drawing praise from analysts.

ESPN analyst backs Michigan State’s doubtful future

Well, last season Michigan State’s year ended with a brutal 5-7 record, and that sure gives everyone a reason to be skeptical about their run this year. That’s exactly why FanDuel pegged Michigan State’s 2025 win total at 5.5. But it looks like ESPN’s Greg McElroy didn’t buy that prediction at all. In his breakdown, McElroy mapped out three clear wins for them: “Here’s your wins: Western Michigan, Youngstown State, and UCLA.” That UCLA game lands at home on October 11, and that can be a real game changer for them.

But then there are some tough battles ahead for them too. “Here’s your losses: at USC, at Nebraska. You might say, ‘Well, they can get Nebraska.’ Sure, they could, in which case we would take that Nebraska win and put it in the bonus category. At the moment, here in the preseason, I would lean heavily in favor of the Huskers,” McElroy said. “They’ll get Michigan at home and Penn State at home. I find it hard to believe that they’ll get either one of those two games going into the season. So we got four in the L category, which means they have three wins, four L’s.” Look, winning against Penn State isn’t beyond Michigan State’s wildest dreams, but if Oklahoma could win against Bama, then anything’s possible.

The Spartans, already accounting for four preseason losses, require three additional wins from their remaining games. But history backs their grit. Michigan State pulled off an upset over Iowa (32-20) last fall, overcoming a 6.5-point spread, and nearly beat Michigan in a close 24-17 game. And Greg McElroy sees potential in them. “Here are your toss-ups. There’s a handful of them: Boston College, at Indiana, at Minnesota, at Iowa, and then Maryland in Detroit,” he said.

Then McElroy noted that playing in Detroit isn’t quite a home-field advantage for Michigan State: “It’s not going to be played in the friendly confines of East Lansing.” But he still didn’t count them out: “Tell me, I’ve got to find three more in the toss-up category. I think they can get there.” And it’s not like the Spartans aren’t doing anything to make that happen. Michigan State’s coaching staff has been incredibly busy this offseason.

They added 21 players through the transfer portal while losing only 19. This, combined with 19 incoming freshmen, shows a clear intent to reload, not rebuild. Success remains to be seen, but Jonathan Smith’s team is clearly active. With a second-year coach, a revamped roster, and plenty of motivation, Michigan State could easily surpass 5.5 wins.