Coach Mark Dantonio (official thread)

[wadc45]

LINK

11/8

Dantonio not contacted by MSU
Coach's focus hardly on Mich. State vacancy
BY BILL KOCH | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Responding to questions about speculation that he might be a candidate for the head coaching job at Michigan State, Mark Dantonio said Tuesday that he wants to remain at the University of Cincinnati.
"I want to be here," Dantonio said.
Dantonio, 50, called rumors that he might be a candidate for the job "media speculation" and said he has not been contacted by anyone in an official capacity at Michigan State, although several reporters from Michigan have called seeking to ask him about the job.
He said it was "flattering" to have his name mentioned in connection with the Big Ten school, but that his focus is on preparing the Bearcats to play at West Virginia this week.
Dantonio, who has a 16-16 record in his third year at UC, has Big Ten roots that run deep. He was the defensive coordinator at Ohio State for three years before arriving at UC. Before that, he was the secondary coach at Michigan State from 1995-2000. He also has been a graduate assistant at Purdue and Ohio State.
"We're trying to get great football players here," Dantonio said. "We're trying to recruit Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio, and we want players to stay home."
Dantonio said that by professing his allegiance to the Bearcat program he hopes to demonstrate to recruits that UC is a desirable place to be.
"I hope I'm sending a message," he said.
Dantonio is under contract through 2010 after having his contract extended last year by then-athletic director Bob Goin.
"I'm never saying never, because you can't say those type of things," Dantonio said. "But at the same time, I have a loyalty to these players and this program and we're trying to get things accomplished. We're trying to win a championship here. It takes time. It doesn't happen overnight."
E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com

[osugrad21]

Link

Cincy coach crazy like fox

Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Copyright ? 2006 Republican-American
BY ED DAIGNEAULT
Republican-American
Back in late summer, some figured Cincinnati football coach Mark Dantonio added a bit of insanity to the bad breaks in his schedule.
As the Bearcats prepare to play their final regular-season game Saturday at UConn, it's obvious that there was more than a small measure of method to Dantonio's non-conference madness.
Cincinnati, thought to be in rebuilding mode, scheduled road non-conference games against Ohio State and Virginia Tech. Those came in addition to having to play road Big East games against Louisville and West Virginia.
After Saturday's 30-11 thrashing of previously unbeaten Rutgers it's evident that the Bearcats (6-5, 3-3 Big East) are much better for having played those games. "It was a very rewarding win for our football team," Dantonio said of his now bowl-eligible squad. "When you lose games, close or otherwise, it takes its toll on you as a team and as a player. When we've played well, we've developed confidence."
Cincinnati hung with Ohio State for three quarters before losing, 37-7. The next week, it gave Virginia Tech a tussle in a 29-13 defeat. The Bearcats took Louisville to the final minute before falling, 23-17. West Virginia and Pittsburgh are the only teams to have eased past Cincinnati.
The pessimist would say that Cincinnati has won all of its games at home. The realist would say that the Bearcats gave three top-10 teams problems and beat another. The realist would also say that Cincinnati's five defeats have come against teams with a combined record of 47-12. The realist would say that holding Rutgers to 50 rushing yards proves the Bearcats are a good team.
With a victory at UConn, Cincinnati would clinch a tie for fourth in the Big East after being picked to finish seventh. Dantonio wasn't crazy after all.
"Being new members of the conference, (the Rutgers win) was a statement for our players that we would be able to compete at this level," Dantonio said. "It was much like the ninth-grader coming into a new class in school. He was accepted a little bit. Our players feel like they belong.
"The next step is to finish. We talked to our players about finishing. We'll assess where we are at the end of 12 games. One game does not make a season for us."
No, the Bearcats have made this season on a series of competitive games against some of the country's best programs.
Still alive: Rutgers may have lost whatever dim hopes it had of playing for a national championship. We all thought Rutgers had one Rutgers-like game in it this year.

But the Scarlet Knights still have a chance to represent the Big East in a Bowl Championship Series game. Winning the league title will be a difficult chore, but Rutgers still at least has the opportunity.
First it has to get past Syracuse this weekend. Then comes the hard part when Rutgers plays Dec. 2 at West Virginia. The last two weeks will be interesting with Rutgers, West Virginia and Louisville all holding one league defeat.
Extra points: Reeling Pittsburgh has given up 754 rushing yards in its last two games, losses to UConn and West Virginia ... UConn has surrendered more points in league play (164) than any other team ... Cincinnati, South Florida, UConn and Syracuse have not won a league road game this season ... West Virginia quarterback Pat White became the first player in league history to rush and pass for more than 200 yards in the same game in last week's triumph at Pittsburgh. Teammate Steve Slaton became the first player in school history to bust the 100-yard mark in receiving and rushing in the same game.

[ScriptOhio]

Re: "We're trying to get great football players here," Dantonio said. "We're trying to recruit Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio, and we want players to stay home."
Dantonio said that by professing his allegiance to the Bearcat program he hopes to demonstrate to recruits that UC is a desirable place to be.



Yes, UC is the only other BCS conference school in Ohio and they should get some very good players. Such as those that Ohio State doesn't offer due to other commitments or lack of scholarships, and/or can't pass admissions to get into Ohio State. But has anyone else been to Cincinnati and seen the UC campus? It is really not a very desirable place to be.

[iambrutus]

Originally Posted by ScriptOhio

But has anyone else been to Cincinnati and seen the UC campus? It is really not a very desirable place to be.

but when they start winning and get to good bowl games that will change

[ScriptOhio]

Cincinnati coach Mark Dantonio has been mentioned prominently as a candidate to become head coach at Michigan State. He coached there from 1995-2000 as an assistant, finishing his stay there as associate head coach. UC athletic director Mike Thomas said he has had discussions with Dantonio about what needs to be done to keep him at the school.
-- Cincinnati Enquirer

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ege/index.html

[osugrad21]

Cincy

Dantonio top MSU candidate
BY BILL KOCH | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
University of Cincinnati football coach Mark Dantonio has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the head coaching job at Michigan State.
UC athletic director Mike Thomas confirmed Sunday that Dantonio is among the coaches the school is considering to replace John L. Smith.
?I would guess that he?s a leading candidate,? Thomas said. ?Now how those things play out and who else is in the mix in addition to Mark I couldn?t tell you.

Dantonio, a former Michigan State assistant coach, could not be reached Sunday.

In his third year as the UC head coach, Dantonio has posted an 18-17 record. He led the Bearcats to the Fort Worth Bowl in his first season in 2004 and guided the Bearcats to a 7-5 record this season after Saturday?s victory at Connecticut.

The Bearcats are waiting to hear which bowl game they will play in.

?It certainly doesn?t surprise me that he?s a candidate,? Thomas said, ?not at all. I think Mark is the total package. He?s not only a great coach, he?s a great person, a wonderful family man. He relates well to his kids. They enjoy the relationship and you can tell they have fun playing for Mark and his staff.?

Thomas said that he will do everything he can to keep Dantonio at UC.

?It?s my intention that Mark Dantonio is not only coaching here for the 2007 season but beyond that,? Thomas said.

[The Man]

hired by MSU per UC's Scout site admins. Also thread on MSU's board

[Taosman]

Great defensive coach.
Does not stay at one place for very long.

[duke_shoot]

I don't like seeing Ohio trained Coaches going to the opposition, even if they rename Msu to tOSU"B"
Dantanio is a good coach I wish him well and may he never beat us.

[OregonBuckeye]

[censored], things just got a lot tougher in the Big-10. Great hire by MSU. I think he did an amazing job considering he had so little to work with at Cincy.

[MililaniBuckeye]

[censored]...Michigan State just became a whole lot more dangerous...

[PrincetonBuckeye]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

[censored]...Michigan State just became a whole lot more dangerous...

VERY, VERY TRUE!!!

[buckeyefool]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

[censored]...Michigan State just became a whole lot more dangerous...

My dad is a UC alum and we were just talking about this on Thanksgiving...I said to him that i was hoping UC would be able to find a way to keep him because I wouldn't want to have to play a team coached by him all of the time.

[Bucklion]

Dantonio at a Big Ten school is a frightening thought...don't tell ESPN, but I think in the long term he'll end up better than Ferentz.

[madvillebuck]

Cincy Enquirer link:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.d...0101/311260010