A legacy in college football is often measured in championships, but for Iowa’s Jay Norvell, his father’s true legacy lies in the lives he changed, including that of a young coach named Nick Saban. On his late father’s birthday, he reminded the world of the impact Merritt Norvell had.

“Happy Birthday to my father, Merritt Norvell,” Jay Norvell wrote on X. “A tremendous, unselfish, courageous man. Great husband, father, and leader. He passed 5 years ago, but his memory lives on in those he helped. Miss you, pops. 💯”

The elder Norvell, who passed away in 2020, left an indelible mark on college athletics during his tenure as Michigan State’s athletic director from 1995-1999, a period when he hired future legends like Nick Saban. He was one of the first African-American ADs in Division I college athletics and was a pioneer in promoting opportunities in college athletics irrespective of people’s color. 

He also had a significant impact on the Spartans’ financial growth, securing major funding for the college’s athletic department. His most notable move was securing $7.5 million in funds for the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center and a $5 million renovation to Spartan Stadium. During his tenure, Michigan State’s revenue grew by 183%, primarily from advertising and sponsorship.

His influence wasn’t confined to East Lansing; in his later years, Norvell served as the executive director of the National Association of Coaching Equity and Development, continuing his life’s work of creating opportunities.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

He also had a significant impact on another Big Ten school, Wisconsin, where he was the running back of the program’s 1963 Big Ten championship team and also did color commentary for football in the 1990s.

Jay Norvell grew up watching his father’s contributions to the community and the athletics administration. Since his passing, he has never failed to remember his father’s legacy, trying to fill his shoes.

Merritt Norvell set the path for Nick Saban’s HC career

Nick Saban served as head coach at Michigan State under Norvell from 1995 to 1999, during Norvell’s AD tenure. Though Saban had already been head coach for Toledo and the Cleveland Browns before, the Spartans gave him his first notable success.

Saban, with Merritt Norvell’s help, revived the program that hadn’t had a single winning season since 1990. Norvell’s role in helping Saban strengthen Michigan State’s infrastructure and resources led to the latter taking the program to the bowl games in the first three seasons. Seeing Michigan State slowly improve, Norvell told reporters that he was “comfortable” with Saban, but the goal remained winning games.

“It’s important to win,” Norvell said in a statement. “It’s also important to make sure your kids graduate, important that you get leadership within the department from the coaches, and important that people conduct themselves properly. But if winning wasn’t important, we wouldn’t have a stadium that seats 72,000 people.”

The continuous growth led Saban to guide the Spartans to a 9-2 season in 1999, with wins over Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State. However, Norvell stepped down from the program, and months later, Saban left for LSU. 

The trust Norvell placed in Saban made him a legendary coach who retired as the winningest coach in college football, with a 292-71-1 record, including seven national championships and 11 SEC championships.