Mark Dantonio
Encyclopedia
Mark Dantonio is the current head football coach at Michigan State University
. He was hired on November 27, 2006 and became the 24th head coach at Michigan State. He is credited for winning the 2010 Big Ten Championship and his 4 game win streak over arch-rival Michigan. Dantonio compiled an 18–17 overall record in his three years as the head coach of the University of Cincinnati
including a win in the 2004 Fort Worth Bowl
. Known as a defensive-minded coach, Dantonio has compiled a 43–21 record while at Michigan State, giving him a .672 winning percentage, the highest of any MSU coach since Clarence Munn. On October 8, 2011, Dantonio signed a contract extension that made him a "Spartan for life."
and attended Zanesville High School
. He was a three year letter winner at the University of South Carolina
where he played defensive back
from 1976 to 1978. After earning his bachelor’s degree from South Carolina, Dantonio moved on to Ohio University
where he earned his master’s degree in education in 1980.
where he was a graduate assistant. In 1981, he made his first stop in the Big Ten when he moved on to Purdue as a graduate assistant. He spent two years in Columbus as a graduate assistant for Ohio State in 1983 and 1984 under then head coach Earle Bruce
. In 1986, he began a five-year stint on Jim Tressel
’s staff at Youngstown State
as a defensive secondary coach. In 1990, Dantonio led the Penguins' defense to an 11–0 record and a #2 ranking nationally. Glen Mason
hired Dantonio in 1991 to be the defensive secondary coach for the Kansas Jayhawks
. When Nick Saban
was hired at Michigan State in 1995, he hired Dantonio to join his staff in East Lansing where he remained even after Saban left for LSU
. After Bobby Williams
was named head coach in 1999 following Saban's departure, Dantonio was promoted to associate head coach where he remained through the 2000 season. Following the 2000 season, Dantonio was hired by new Ohio State University
head coach Jim Tressel
.
when he opted out of East Lansing to serve as defensive coordinator
at Ohio State University
for three seasons. His defense became known as one of the stingiest in the country. During the Buckeyes' 2002 National Championship season, Ohio State ranked second nationally in scoring defense and third in rushing defense. In the 2003 season his defense ranked number one in the country in rushing defense and ninth in total defense, which led the Buckeyes to an 11–2 record and #4 national ranking. Six Buckeye defenders were named first team All-Big Ten during Dantonio's tenure there and thirteen were drafted into the NFL, including two first round picks in Chris Gamble
and Will Smith
.
' 7–5 record included a 5–3 record in Conference USA, which was good enough for a second place finish. The Bearcats finished the season on a winning note with a 32–14 win over Marshall
in the PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl. During Dantonio’s time at UC, he led the Bearcats to a bowl game victory and directed the team's transition into the Big East Conference
. As head coach, Dantonio had fifteen players earn all-conference honors and twenty-five received conference academic recognition.
on November 27, 2006. Upon his arrival, Dantonio planned to return MSU to a more traditional philosophy on offense and defense, eliminating the spread offense and the "bandit" linebacker
/safety position used under previous head coach John L. Smith
.
Dantonio began his MSU career well at Spartan Stadium
when on April 21, 2007 Michigan State drew over 25,000 fans to watch the team's spring scrimmage game. The white team led by sophomore quarterback
Connor Dixon defeated junior quarterback Brian Hoyer
and the green team by a score of 21–8. During the game, Dantonio was seen behind the line of scrimmage
watching and coaching the action.
Dantonio won his first game at Michigan State on September 1, 2007, when the Spartans defeated the UAB Blazers
, 55–18. His first season at Michigan State was the school's most successful since 2003. Dantonio's Spartans went 7–5, losing all five games by seven points or less, and were bowl eligible for the first time in four years. However, the Spartans lost to Boston College in the Champs Sports Bowl
in Orlando
on December 28.
Dantonio's second season at MSU
began with a loss at Cal
, after which the Spartans came home and won six straight games against Eastern Michigan
, Florida Atlantic
, Notre Dame
, Indiana
, Iowa
, and Northwestern
. The victories propelled Michigan State into the top 25. Following a lopsided 45–7 loss against the Ohio State Buckeyes
, the Spartans beat Michigan
, 35–21, in Ann Arbor
for the first time since 1990. Michigan State won its final two home games against Wisconsin
and Purdue
before losing to Penn State
in Happy Valley
. A win against Penn State would have resulted in Michigan State splitting the Big Ten Conference title with Ohio State. The nine regular season wins was Michigan State's most since 1999. Michigan State finished third in the conference and was invited to play Georgia
in the Capital One Bowl
. Michigan State lost the game, 24–12, finishing the season 9–4.
The third season for Dantonio (2009)
was mixed in terms of performance and off-the-field issues. The team lost five games (Central Michigan, @ Notre Dame, Iowa, @ Minnesota, Texas Tech) where they held the lead in the fourth quarter, leading to a disappointing 6-7 record on the season.
On September 19, 2010, just hours after a stunning fake field goal touchdown pass gave MSU a 34-31 overtime victory over Notre Dame
, Dantonio checked himself into the hospital after noticing chest pains. He later suffered a heart attack
. He had a stent put in a blocked artery near his heart. His doctor stated the damage was minimal and expected him to make a full recovery. Offensive coordinator
Don Treadwell became acting head coach while Dantonio recovered.
On September 30, 2010, after Mark Dantonio had stated he would be coaching the next game from the press box and just two days before Michigan State played Wisconsin
, Dantonio was admitted back into the hospital as a blood clot was found in his leg. Dantonio did not coach the game but rather watched the game from his hospital room. He was reportedly released from Sparrow Hospital around noon on October 4, 2010. On October 9, 2010, Dantonio coached his first game since his heart attack against rival Michigan
. Michigan State won the game, 34–17, in Ann Arbor
.
The Spartans under Dantonio continued to win and on November 20, 2010 reached 10-1 on the season, setting the record for most wins (32) by a senior class, as well as winning all home games for the first time during his tenure. It is just the third time in school history that Michigan State has won 10 or more games in a season, the other two seasons being 1965 and 1999. On November 27, 2010, Mark Dantonio's Spartans defeated Penn State 28-22 in Happy Valley, to finish the season 11-1 and clinch a share of the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 1990. On December 5, 2010, MSU announced that the Spartans were selected to play in the Capital One Bowl on January 1, 2011 against Alabama (number 15 in the BCS standings). The Spartans lost 49-7 and finished the season 11-2.
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
. He was hired on November 27, 2006 and became the 24th head coach at Michigan State. He is credited for winning the 2010 Big Ten Championship and his 4 game win streak over arch-rival Michigan. Dantonio compiled an 18–17 overall record in his three years as the head coach of the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
including a win in the 2004 Fort Worth Bowl
2004 Fort Worth Bowl
The 2004 edition to the Fort Worth Bowl, the second edition, featured the , and the . It had a title sponsor of PlainsCapital Bank. The game was particularly notable because it featured an incoming school to and outgoing school from Conference USA.Cincinnati scored first, when Antauwn Gibbons...
. Known as a defensive-minded coach, Dantonio has compiled a 43–21 record while at Michigan State, giving him a .672 winning percentage, the highest of any MSU coach since Clarence Munn. On October 8, 2011, Dantonio signed a contract extension that made him a "Spartan for life."
Childhood and education
Dantonio grew up in Zanesville, OhioZanesville, Ohio
Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio...
and attended Zanesville High School
Zanesville High School
Zanesville High School is a public high school in Zanesville, Ohio. Zanesville High School is the only public high school in the Zanesville City School District. The mascot is the Blue Devil and the school colors are blue and white.-History:...
. He was a three year letter winner at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
where he played defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
from 1976 to 1978. After earning his bachelor’s degree from South Carolina, Dantonio moved on to Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
where he earned his master’s degree in education in 1980.
Early coaching career
Dantonio began his coaching career at Ohio UniversityOhio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
where he was a graduate assistant. In 1981, he made his first stop in the Big Ten when he moved on to Purdue as a graduate assistant. He spent two years in Columbus as a graduate assistant for Ohio State in 1983 and 1984 under then head coach Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa , Iowa State University , Ohio State University , the University of Northern Iowa , and Colorado State University , compiling a career college football record of 154–90–2...
. In 1986, he began a five-year stint on Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel
James Patrick Tressel is a gameday consultant for the Indianapolis Colts, and former collegiate football head coach at both The Ohio State University from 2001 to 2011 and at Youngstown State University from 1986 to 2000. Tressel is most notable for his time at Ohio State. He was hired by the...
’s staff at Youngstown State
Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University, founded in 1908, is an urban research university located in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. As of fall 2010, there were 15,194 students and a student-faculty ratio of 19:1. It is recognized as being one of the premier schools in the country, comparable to Ivy League...
as a defensive secondary coach. In 1990, Dantonio led the Penguins' defense to an 11–0 record and a #2 ranking nationally. Glen Mason
Glen Mason
Glen O. Mason is an American football coach. Mason previously served as the head football coach at Kent State University, the University of Kansas, and the University of Minnesota, compiling a career college football record of 123–121–1.-Playing career:Mason played college football at...
hired Dantonio in 1991 to be the defensive secondary coach for the Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
. When Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
was hired at Michigan State in 1995, he hired Dantonio to join his staff in East Lansing where he remained even after Saban left for LSU
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
. After Bobby Williams
Bobby Williams
- External links :* at RollTide.com...
was named head coach in 1999 following Saban's departure, Dantonio was promoted to associate head coach where he remained through the 2000 season. Following the 2000 season, Dantonio was hired by new Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
head coach Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel
James Patrick Tressel is a gameday consultant for the Indianapolis Colts, and former collegiate football head coach at both The Ohio State University from 2001 to 2011 and at Youngstown State University from 1986 to 2000. Tressel is most notable for his time at Ohio State. He was hired by the...
.
Defensive coordinator at Ohio State
In 2001, Dantonio reunited with his former Youngstown State boss and good friend Jim TresselJim Tressel
James Patrick Tressel is a gameday consultant for the Indianapolis Colts, and former collegiate football head coach at both The Ohio State University from 2001 to 2011 and at Youngstown State University from 1986 to 2000. Tressel is most notable for his time at Ohio State. He was hired by the...
when he opted out of East Lansing to serve as defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
for three seasons. His defense became known as one of the stingiest in the country. During the Buckeyes' 2002 National Championship season, Ohio State ranked second nationally in scoring defense and third in rushing defense. In the 2003 season his defense ranked number one in the country in rushing defense and ninth in total defense, which led the Buckeyes to an 11–2 record and #4 national ranking. Six Buckeye defenders were named first team All-Big Ten during Dantonio's tenure there and thirteen were drafted into the NFL, including two first round picks in Chris Gamble
Chris Gamble
Chris Lee Gamble is an American football player with the Carolina Panthers. During his NFL career Gamble has only played cornerback, but was briefly a wide receiver at the Ohio State University. He was converted into a cornerback during his sophomore year...
and Will Smith
Will Smith (football player)
William Smith is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. He played college football at Ohio State University.-High school career:...
.
Head coach at Cincinnati
Dantonio was named head coach at Cincinnati on December 23, 2003. He became the first head coach in 23 years to lead the school to a winning season in his first season at UC. The BearcatsCincinnati Bearcats football
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as...
' 7–5 record included a 5–3 record in Conference USA, which was good enough for a second place finish. The Bearcats finished the season on a winning note with a 32–14 win over Marshall
Marshall Thundering Herd
The Marshall Thundering Herd are the intercollegiate athletic teams that collectively represent the Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Thundering Herd athletic teams compete in Conference USA, which are members of the NCAA Division I...
in the PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl. During Dantonio’s time at UC, he led the Bearcats to a bowl game victory and directed the team's transition into the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
. As head coach, Dantonio had fifteen players earn all-conference honors and twenty-five received conference academic recognition.
Head coach at Michigan State
Mark Dantonio became the 24th head coach at Michigan StateMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
on November 27, 2006. Upon his arrival, Dantonio planned to return MSU to a more traditional philosophy on offense and defense, eliminating the spread offense and the "bandit" linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
/safety position used under previous head coach John L. Smith
John L. Smith
John L. Smith is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the special teams coach at the University of Arkansas, under head coach Bobby Petrino...
.
Dantonio began his MSU career well at Spartan Stadium
Spartan Stadium (East Lansing)
Spartan Stadium opened in 1923 in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the Michigan State University Spartans...
when on April 21, 2007 Michigan State drew over 25,000 fans to watch the team's spring scrimmage game. The white team led by sophomore quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Connor Dixon defeated junior quarterback Brian Hoyer
Brian Hoyer
Brian Hoyer is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
and the green team by a score of 21–8. During the game, Dantonio was seen behind the line of scrimmage
Line of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
watching and coaching the action.
Dantonio won his first game at Michigan State on September 1, 2007, when the Spartans defeated the UAB Blazers
UAB Blazers
The UAB Blazers are the forest green and old gold-swathed athletic teams at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The school is one of the twelve member institutions of Conference USA and participates in Division I of the NCAA...
, 55–18. His first season at Michigan State was the school's most successful since 2003. Dantonio's Spartans went 7–5, losing all five games by seven points or less, and were bowl eligible for the first time in four years. However, the Spartans lost to Boston College in the Champs Sports Bowl
2007 Champs Sports Bowl
The 2007 Champs Sports Bowl was the 18th edition of the college football bowl game. It was part of the 2007-08 NCAA football bowl games season, and was played on December 28, 2007 at the Citrus Bowl stadium in Orlando, Florida....
in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
on December 28.
Dantonio's second season at MSU
2008 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2008 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 2008–2009 college football season. The team's head coach was Mark Dantonio. The Spartans played their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan...
began with a loss at Cal
2008 California Golden Bears football team
The 2008 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in the college football 2008-2009 season. They played their home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California and are coached by Jeff Tedford...
, after which the Spartans came home and won six straight games against Eastern Michigan
2008 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team
The 2008 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team represented Eastern Michigan University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season. Eastern Michigan competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference.The team was led by...
, Florida Atlantic
2008 Florida Atlantic Owls football team
The 2008 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2008 college football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, FL...
, Notre Dame
2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2008 college football season. The team's head football coach is Charlie Weis. The Irish play their home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana...
, Indiana
2008 Indiana Hoosiers football team
The 2008 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented the Indiana University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hoosiers were coached by Bill Lynch and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana.-Schedule:...
, Iowa
2008 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 2008 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa and the Iowa Hawkeyes football program in the 2008 college football season. Coached by Kirk Ferentz, the Hawkeyes played their seven home games in Kinnick Stadium.-Previous season:...
, and Northwestern
2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten during the 2008–2009 college football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his third season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach...
. The victories propelled Michigan State into the top 25. Following a lopsided 45–7 loss against the Ohio State Buckeyes
2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team competed in football on behalf of the Ohio State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio...
, the Spartans beat Michigan
2008 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2008 college football season. The team's head football coach was Rich Rodriguez. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan...
, 35–21, in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
for the first time since 1990. Michigan State won its final two home games against Wisconsin
2008 Wisconsin Badgers football team
The 2008 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers were coached by Bret Bielema and played their home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin....
and Purdue
2008 Purdue Boilermakers football team
The 2008 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the Big Ten during the 2008–2009 college football season. Joe Tiller, in his 12th and final season at Purdue, was the team's head coach. The Boilermakers' home games were played at Ross-Ade Stadium in West...
before losing to Penn State
2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the 2008 college football season. The team is coached by Joe Paterno and plays its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.-Previous season:...
in Happy Valley
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. A win against Penn State would have resulted in Michigan State splitting the Big Ten Conference title with Ohio State. The nine regular season wins was Michigan State's most since 1999. Michigan State finished third in the conference and was invited to play Georgia
2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team competed in American football on behalf of the University of Georgia in 2008. The Bulldogs competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference . This was the Georgia Bulldogs' eighth season under the guidance of head coach Mark Richt...
in the Capital One Bowl
2009 Capital One Bowl
The 2009 Capital One Bowl was held on January 1, 2009 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The Georgia Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference defeated the Michigan State Spartans of the Big Ten Conference by a score of 24–12. The game was televised to a national audience on ABC...
. Michigan State lost the game, 24–12, finishing the season 9–4.
The third season for Dantonio (2009)
2009 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2009 Michigan State Spartans football team competed on behalf of the Michigan State University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Spartans were coached by Mark Dantonio, who was in his third season with the Spartans...
was mixed in terms of performance and off-the-field issues. The team lost five games (Central Michigan, @ Notre Dame, Iowa, @ Minnesota, Texas Tech) where they held the lead in the fourth quarter, leading to a disappointing 6-7 record on the season.
On September 19, 2010, just hours after a stunning fake field goal touchdown pass gave MSU a 34-31 overtime victory over Notre Dame
2010 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2010 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2010 college football season. The team's head football coach was Brian Kelly. The Irish played their home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana...
, Dantonio checked himself into the hospital after noticing chest pains. He later suffered a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. He had a stent put in a blocked artery near his heart. His doctor stated the damage was minimal and expected him to make a full recovery. Offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Don Treadwell became acting head coach while Dantonio recovered.
On September 30, 2010, after Mark Dantonio had stated he would be coaching the next game from the press box and just two days before Michigan State played Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
, Dantonio was admitted back into the hospital as a blood clot was found in his leg. Dantonio did not coach the game but rather watched the game from his hospital room. He was reportedly released from Sparrow Hospital around noon on October 4, 2010. On October 9, 2010, Dantonio coached his first game since his heart attack against rival Michigan
2010 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2010 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Michigan played its home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan and competed in the Big Ten Conference. The season was the first since the renovation of...
. Michigan State won the game, 34–17, in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
.
The Spartans under Dantonio continued to win and on November 20, 2010 reached 10-1 on the season, setting the record for most wins (32) by a senior class, as well as winning all home games for the first time during his tenure. It is just the third time in school history that Michigan State has won 10 or more games in a season, the other two seasons being 1965 and 1999. On November 27, 2010, Mark Dantonio's Spartans defeated Penn State 28-22 in Happy Valley, to finish the season 11-1 and clinch a share of the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 1990. On December 5, 2010, MSU announced that the Spartans were selected to play in the Capital One Bowl on January 1, 2011 against Alabama (number 15 in the BCS standings). The Spartans lost 49-7 and finished the season 11-2.
Coaching tree
Two of Dantonio's former assistants are currently head coaches at other schools:- Dan EnosDan EnosDan Enos is the current head coach of the Central Michigan Chippewas football team. Enos previously served as running backs coach for the Michigan State Spartans, where he played quarterback 1987-1990.- Playing career :...
, Central MichiganCentral Michigan Chippewas footballThe Central Michigan Chippewas football team is a college football program in Division I FBS, representing Central Michigan University. They are a top 25 program in terms of all-time winning percentage and top five amongst all teams from non-BCS automatic qualifying conferences... - Don TreadwellDon TreadwellDon Treadwell is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is currently the head coach at Miami University...
, Miami (OH)Miami RedHawks footballThe Miami University RedHawks, known as the Miami Redskins before 1996, are a NCAA Division I FBS college football program that competes in the Mid-American Conference...
Notable quotes
- "I find a lot of the things they do amusing. They need to check themselves sometimes. But just remember, pride comes before the fall... This game is an important game. So they want to mock us all they want to mock us, I'm telling them: it's not over. So they can print that crap all they want all over their lockerroom. It's not over. It'll never be over here. It's just starting... I'm going to be a coach here for a long time. It's not over. It's just starting." (Regarding arch-rival Michigan. Dantonio would later lead his MSU program to four straight wins over the Wolverines.)
- "We came here with an idea that we were going to have to weather the storm or be the storm." (Before a 37-21 victory over Iowa, the Spartans' first win at Kinnick StadiumKinnick StadiumKinnick Stadium, formerly known as Iowa Stadium, and known in the area simply as Kinnick, is a stadium located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the home stadium of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, in the sport of college football...
since 1989. - "Winner take all."