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IronBuckI
Calmer than you are.
That's exactly what I was thinking. The offense that we have now is not the offense that we had in 2002. It probably isn't the offense that we'll have next year, or any other year for that matter. JT is pretty good at playing to the strengths of the team. If Coach Dantonio wants to gameplan against the 2001, 2002, or 2003 Buckeyes, then I say: Good Luck.Dryden;671472; said:
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Kal-El
Rookie
DaddyBigBucks;671386; said:Congratulations Coach Dantonio. Here's wishing you a 2nd place Big 10 finish every year.
IronBuckI;671390; said:I will go so far as to allow him a co-Big Ten Championship everytime that they rotate off of our schedule.
why thank you
we are pretty excited to have him back in EL as our head coach and look forward to having a D
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Dantonio is new Michigan State head coach
He's on his way up. Congrats Mark....
(11-27) 13:04 PST East Lansing, Mich. (AP) --
Mark Dantonio is leaving the University of Cincinnati to become the new coach at Michigan State, which fired John L. Smith while struggling to a 4-8 record this season.
The Michigan State Board of Trustees, in a special meeting Monday morning, unanimously approved a recommendation to hire Dantonio. The five-year contract guarantees Dantonio about $1.1 million a year. It also has a $200,000 signing bonus and incentives that could boost his income.
The school scheduled a noon news conference to introduce Dantonio.
"Leaving UC is a hard decision for our family," Dantonio said in a statement posted on the University of Cincinnati athletics Web site. "The last three seasons have been incredible for us as our staff has been able to get Cincinnati football back on track. ... Michigan State is a special place for me."
Michigan State first interviewed Dantonio on Saturday night, followed up by a second interview with university president Lou Anna Simon on Sunday morning.
"Everyone agreed, head and shoulders, this was the right person for the job," athletic director Ron Mason said.
The 50-year-old Dantonio is a former Michigan State assistant who has been head coach at Cincinnati for the past three seasons. He has an 18-17 record, including a 7-5 mark this season with a win over previously unbeaten Rutgers. The Big East school is awaiting a bowl bid, its second under Dantonio.
Dantonio replaces Smith, who was fired while completing his fourth season with the Spartans. Smith finished with a 22-26 record. Dantonio will be the school's ninth coach since the Duffy Daugherty era ended in 1972. The Spartans have played in only one Rose Bowl since 1966.
Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, Central Michigan coach Brian Kelly, Philadelphia Eagles assistant Pat Shurmur and Miami Dolphins assistant Charlie Baggett also were candidates for the opening.
Dantonio's head coaching experience worked in his favor, along with his ties to the school.
He was an assistant at Michigan State from 1995 through 2000 under Nick Saban and Bobby Williams. Dantonio left for Ohio State, where he was defensive coordinator for three seasons. He also was an assistant at Kansas, Akron, Ohio and Youngstown State.
The Bearcats hired Dantonio in December 2003, and he went on to become the first coach in school history to have a winning record in his first season, with seven wins, including a victory over Marshall in the Fort Worth Bowl.
After taking a step back with a 4-7 record in 2005 with a young team, Dantonio led Cincinnati to another solid season this year.
Dantonio might be able to help Michigan State recruit in the talent-rich state of Ohio.
The Zanesville, Ohio, native got his first big break at Ohio State, where Earle Bruce hired him in 1983. He also was a defensive coordinator at Youngstown State under Jim Tressel, who later brought Dantonio with him from the Division I-AA school to Ohio State.
He's on his way up. Congrats Mark....
(11-27) 13:04 PST East Lansing, Mich. (AP) --
Mark Dantonio is leaving the University of Cincinnati to become the new coach at Michigan State, which fired John L. Smith while struggling to a 4-8 record this season.
The Michigan State Board of Trustees, in a special meeting Monday morning, unanimously approved a recommendation to hire Dantonio. The five-year contract guarantees Dantonio about $1.1 million a year. It also has a $200,000 signing bonus and incentives that could boost his income.
The school scheduled a noon news conference to introduce Dantonio.
"Leaving UC is a hard decision for our family," Dantonio said in a statement posted on the University of Cincinnati athletics Web site. "The last three seasons have been incredible for us as our staff has been able to get Cincinnati football back on track. ... Michigan State is a special place for me."
Michigan State first interviewed Dantonio on Saturday night, followed up by a second interview with university president Lou Anna Simon on Sunday morning.
"Everyone agreed, head and shoulders, this was the right person for the job," athletic director Ron Mason said.
The 50-year-old Dantonio is a former Michigan State assistant who has been head coach at Cincinnati for the past three seasons. He has an 18-17 record, including a 7-5 mark this season with a win over previously unbeaten Rutgers. The Big East school is awaiting a bowl bid, its second under Dantonio.
Dantonio replaces Smith, who was fired while completing his fourth season with the Spartans. Smith finished with a 22-26 record. Dantonio will be the school's ninth coach since the Duffy Daugherty era ended in 1972. The Spartans have played in only one Rose Bowl since 1966.
Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, Central Michigan coach Brian Kelly, Philadelphia Eagles assistant Pat Shurmur and Miami Dolphins assistant Charlie Baggett also were candidates for the opening.
Dantonio's head coaching experience worked in his favor, along with his ties to the school.
He was an assistant at Michigan State from 1995 through 2000 under Nick Saban and Bobby Williams. Dantonio left for Ohio State, where he was defensive coordinator for three seasons. He also was an assistant at Kansas, Akron, Ohio and Youngstown State.
The Bearcats hired Dantonio in December 2003, and he went on to become the first coach in school history to have a winning record in his first season, with seven wins, including a victory over Marshall in the Fort Worth Bowl.
After taking a step back with a 4-7 record in 2005 with a young team, Dantonio led Cincinnati to another solid season this year.
Dantonio might be able to help Michigan State recruit in the talent-rich state of Ohio.
The Zanesville, Ohio, native got his first big break at Ohio State, where Earle Bruce hired him in 1983. He also was a defensive coordinator at Youngstown State under Jim Tressel, who later brought Dantonio with him from the Division I-AA school to Ohio State.
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BuckBackHome
Wolverine is largest member of weasel family
Talk about out of left field. Congrats to Mark and to msu on a decent hire.
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SparTodd
Newbie
duke_shoot;671019; said:
Don't forget that little layover in EL before Tressell tapped him to be tOSU's DC. You guys might remember me from before the SCum game, and that tOSU is my second favorite team in College ball. But, sheesh, it would be nice to beat your team once in a while.
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Recruiting is key job for Dantonio at Michigan State
11/28/2006, 1:18 a.m. PTBy TIM MARTIN
The Associated Press
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) ? Mark Dantonio was getting ready to coach his Cincinnati Bearcats in a bowl game.
However, after being named Michigan State's new head coach Monday, he has a new task: to line up talent for the struggling Spartans in a crucial recruiting period that began this week.
"I feel like we have instant credibility in recruiting," said Dantonio, noting he has experience working the Midwest talent hubs of Detroit and Chicago as well as national centers such as Texas, Florida and California."We need to be able to recruit players that can play at the highest level," Dantonio said. "That means players that can play at the next level. That needs to be a goal here. I believe we can do that because the resources and the tradition is here."
Dantonio, who had an 18-17 record as Cincinnati's head coach for the last three seasons, also worked as an assistant at several schools including Ohio State, Kansas and Michigan State. He brings the type of experience that is coveted in the hunt for the nation's top football talent, Michigan State officials said after unanimously approving his five-year contract worth at least $1.1 million a year.
Recruiting in the Midwest was a problem under former Michigan State coach John L. Smith, who was fired after four seasons with a 22-26 record. Smith struggled against Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame, other Midwestern schools who mine the same talent pool.
Smith previously coached at Louisville, but he spent most of his career in western states. That didn't help him when it came time to persuade top-notch players to come to East Lansing. The Spartans finished 4-8 this season and lost eight of their last nine games as injuries and lack of depth took their toll.
Dantonio, an Ohio native who was an assistant under Nick Saban and Bobby Williams at Michigan State from 1995-2000, should have better Midwest connections.
"He has done a fantastic job everywhere he has been," Saban said of Dantonio. "This is a great opportunity for him, and I think it's great that the Michigan State gave him that opportunity. They got a good one, and he'll do a great job."
Dantonio worked with Jim Tressel at Ohio State and Youngstown State.
"Mark will build a great program and will do a great job," Tressel said in a written statement. "We are looking forward to competing against him, but the neighborhood just got tougher."
Dantonio said the Spartans need to get "bigger, stronger and faster" if they're going to contend for a championship, something he said is possible if the entire program pulls together to build a winning team.
He said he wants his teams to be able to stop the run on defense and be able to run the ball in a balanced offense."We have to do that because that speaks to toughness," Dantonio said. "And this is a tough game."
His first meeting with his Michigan State players went well, the Spartans said.
"We have to feel him out. He has to feel us out," running back Jehuu Caulcrick said. "It's going to take time, but it will happen."
Linebacker Kaleb Thornhill said Dantonio's roots will be a bonus.
"He has been here before, he knows a little of the tradition and what it takes to win here," Thornhill said. "I think we're on the right track."
Dantonio and his wife, Becky, said they were excited to return to the East Lansing area. Dantonio called it a dream come true.
"We still lay on Spartan blankets at home," he said. "We have a lot of things from Michigan State that are really just cherished as part of our past."
The Bearcats named defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi interim head coach on Monday.
"We will move forward with a national search and will begin the process immediately," Cincinnati athletic director Mike Thomas said in a written statement. "The future for Cincinnati football is very bright."
Recruiting is key job for Dantonio at Michigan State
11/28/2006, 1:18 a.m. PTBy TIM MARTIN
The Associated Press
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) ? Mark Dantonio was getting ready to coach his Cincinnati Bearcats in a bowl game.
However, after being named Michigan State's new head coach Monday, he has a new task: to line up talent for the struggling Spartans in a crucial recruiting period that began this week.
"I feel like we have instant credibility in recruiting," said Dantonio, noting he has experience working the Midwest talent hubs of Detroit and Chicago as well as national centers such as Texas, Florida and California."We need to be able to recruit players that can play at the highest level," Dantonio said. "That means players that can play at the next level. That needs to be a goal here. I believe we can do that because the resources and the tradition is here."
Dantonio, who had an 18-17 record as Cincinnati's head coach for the last three seasons, also worked as an assistant at several schools including Ohio State, Kansas and Michigan State. He brings the type of experience that is coveted in the hunt for the nation's top football talent, Michigan State officials said after unanimously approving his five-year contract worth at least $1.1 million a year.
Recruiting in the Midwest was a problem under former Michigan State coach John L. Smith, who was fired after four seasons with a 22-26 record. Smith struggled against Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame, other Midwestern schools who mine the same talent pool.
Smith previously coached at Louisville, but he spent most of his career in western states. That didn't help him when it came time to persuade top-notch players to come to East Lansing. The Spartans finished 4-8 this season and lost eight of their last nine games as injuries and lack of depth took their toll.
Dantonio, an Ohio native who was an assistant under Nick Saban and Bobby Williams at Michigan State from 1995-2000, should have better Midwest connections.
"He has done a fantastic job everywhere he has been," Saban said of Dantonio. "This is a great opportunity for him, and I think it's great that the Michigan State gave him that opportunity. They got a good one, and he'll do a great job."
Dantonio worked with Jim Tressel at Ohio State and Youngstown State.
"Mark will build a great program and will do a great job," Tressel said in a written statement. "We are looking forward to competing against him, but the neighborhood just got tougher."
Dantonio said the Spartans need to get "bigger, stronger and faster" if they're going to contend for a championship, something he said is possible if the entire program pulls together to build a winning team.
He said he wants his teams to be able to stop the run on defense and be able to run the ball in a balanced offense."We have to do that because that speaks to toughness," Dantonio said. "And this is a tough game."
His first meeting with his Michigan State players went well, the Spartans said.
"We have to feel him out. He has to feel us out," running back Jehuu Caulcrick said. "It's going to take time, but it will happen."
Linebacker Kaleb Thornhill said Dantonio's roots will be a bonus.
"He has been here before, he knows a little of the tradition and what it takes to win here," Thornhill said. "I think we're on the right track."
Dantonio and his wife, Becky, said they were excited to return to the East Lansing area. Dantonio called it a dream come true.
"We still lay on Spartan blankets at home," he said. "We have a lot of things from Michigan State that are really just cherished as part of our past."
The Bearcats named defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi interim head coach on Monday.
"We will move forward with a national search and will begin the process immediately," Cincinnati athletic director Mike Thomas said in a written statement. "The future for Cincinnati football is very bright."
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CPD
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Ex-OSU aide Dantonio sets high goals for Spartans
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
From staff and wire reports
East Lansing, Mich. -- Mark Dantonio is back with the Michigan State football program. This time, he's in charge and he has much flashier jewelry.
Dantonio, an assistant with the program from 1995 to 2000 and the Cincinnati head coach the past three seasons, was hired Monday as the Spartans coach. At his introduction, he displayed the 2002 championship ring he won as Ohio State's defensive coordinator.
"I wear this championship ring very, very few times, but I wear it for a reason," Dantonio said. "I wear it to symbolize what can happen when you have the resources, when you have the players, and most importantly when you have the commitment."
He succeeds John L. Smith, who was fired before completing his fourth season in East Lansing. He finished with a 22-26 record. Michigan State finished 4-8 this year and has missed out on a bowl trip three straight seasons for the first time since the early 1980s.
Dantonio becomes the ninth Michigan State coach since Duffy Daugherty left after the 1972 season. Michigan State is barely above .500 since and has won eight or more games in consecutive seasons just once, with one Rose Bowl appearance.
Dantonio inherits a team that has struggled on the field and in recruiting battles with nearby powerhouses Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
"If you have an opportunity to compete against the best, you can become the best," Dantonio said. "You have the opportunity to measure up."
Dantonio's hiring represents the first Big Ten branch of the Jim Tressel coaching tree. Tressel had faced his former assistant twice before, when the Buckeyes beat Cincinnati in 2004 and again this season. They'll meet when Michigan State visits Columbus on Oct. 20 next season.
"I am so proud to have Mark Dantonio back in the Big Ten," Tressel said in a statement. "It's a little bit like when one of your players receives his degree or is a first-round draft choice. You just feel good about what they have accomplished."
The Michigan State Board of Trustees unanimously approved president Lou Anna Simon's recommendation to hire Dantonio. The five-year contract guarantees him about $1.1 million a year, on the lower end of the Big Ten pay scale. The contract also has a $200,000 signing bonus and incentives.
The 50-year-old Dantonio had an 18-17 record at Cincinnati, including a win over previously unbeaten Rutgers this month. The Big East school is awaiting a bowl bid, but Dantonio wouldn't coach that game. Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi was appointed Cincinnati's interim head coach.
Other possible candidates included Miami Dolphins assistant Charlie Baggett, Browns defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, Central Michigan coach Brian Kelly and Philadelphia Eagles assistant Pat Shurmur.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Ex-OSU aide Dantonio sets high goals for Spartans
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
From staff and wire reports
East Lansing, Mich. -- Mark Dantonio is back with the Michigan State football program. This time, he's in charge and he has much flashier jewelry.
Dantonio, an assistant with the program from 1995 to 2000 and the Cincinnati head coach the past three seasons, was hired Monday as the Spartans coach. At his introduction, he displayed the 2002 championship ring he won as Ohio State's defensive coordinator.
"I wear this championship ring very, very few times, but I wear it for a reason," Dantonio said. "I wear it to symbolize what can happen when you have the resources, when you have the players, and most importantly when you have the commitment."
He succeeds John L. Smith, who was fired before completing his fourth season in East Lansing. He finished with a 22-26 record. Michigan State finished 4-8 this year and has missed out on a bowl trip three straight seasons for the first time since the early 1980s.
Dantonio becomes the ninth Michigan State coach since Duffy Daugherty left after the 1972 season. Michigan State is barely above .500 since and has won eight or more games in consecutive seasons just once, with one Rose Bowl appearance.
Dantonio inherits a team that has struggled on the field and in recruiting battles with nearby powerhouses Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
"If you have an opportunity to compete against the best, you can become the best," Dantonio said. "You have the opportunity to measure up."
Dantonio's hiring represents the first Big Ten branch of the Jim Tressel coaching tree. Tressel had faced his former assistant twice before, when the Buckeyes beat Cincinnati in 2004 and again this season. They'll meet when Michigan State visits Columbus on Oct. 20 next season.
"I am so proud to have Mark Dantonio back in the Big Ten," Tressel said in a statement. "It's a little bit like when one of your players receives his degree or is a first-round draft choice. You just feel good about what they have accomplished."
The Michigan State Board of Trustees unanimously approved president Lou Anna Simon's recommendation to hire Dantonio. The five-year contract guarantees him about $1.1 million a year, on the lower end of the Big Ten pay scale. The contract also has a $200,000 signing bonus and incentives.
The 50-year-old Dantonio had an 18-17 record at Cincinnati, including a win over previously unbeaten Rutgers this month. The Big East school is awaiting a bowl bid, but Dantonio wouldn't coach that game. Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi was appointed Cincinnati's interim head coach.
Other possible candidates included Miami Dolphins assistant Charlie Baggett, Browns defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, Central Michigan coach Brian Kelly and Philadelphia Eagles assistant Pat Shurmur.
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Dantonio selection praised nationally
Analysts say former Cincinnati coach a 'great hire' for MSU
By Neil Koepke
Lansing State Journal
EAST LANSING - No one is predicting Big Ten championships any time soon.
But the fellow coaches and national pundits had nothing but praise for Michigan State's hiring of Mark Dantonio on Monday.
Most say Dantonio will put toughness and accountability back into the MSU program, but note that fans will need to be patient.
"Mark will build a great program and will do a great job. We're looking forward to competing against him, but the neighborhood just got a little tougher,'' said Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who twice hired Dantonio as an assistant coach over the past 20 years.
When Tressel was head coach at Youngstown State, he hired Dantonio in 1986. And when Tressel took over at Ohio State in 2001, he lured Dantonio away from Michigan State to become the Buckeyes' defensive coordinator.
Dantonio coached under Nick Saban for five of his six seasons at MSU from 1995-2000.
"Mark really has the right blend for Michigan State,'' said Saban, now coach of the NFL's Miami Dolphins. "He brings honesty and integrity to the Spartan football program.
"Mark was one of the top recruiters on (our) coaching staff.''
Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN's college football analyst, believes Dantonio is the right guy to bring back the toughness and discipline that the Spartan program has seemed to lack in recent seasons.
"As a fan of the Big Ten and a fan of Mark Dantonio, I love it. He will bring class to Michigan State,'' Herbstreit said.
"He'll recruit character and bring a similar feel and attributes that you see from Ohio State's team. I can't wait to see Michigan State in about three years, once Mark has a chance to recruit his kind of players.''
Chris Spielman, a former standout Ohio State linebacker and now an ESPN analyst, said MSU teams used to be known for their physical play and overall toughness.
"I haven't seen that for a while. Mark will bring that back. This is a great hire by Michigan State,'' Spielman said. "Mark has Michigan State bloodlines, so he's emotionally invested in the program.''
Bill Burke played quarterback for MSU when Dantonio was a defensive assistant on Saban's staff.
"He's intense on the field and demands a lot of his players but you know that off the field he really cares about you,'' said Burke, who attended Monday's press conference. "He's been able to learn from Nick Saban and Jim Tressel ... about toughness, character and accountability.
"When players understand those things and follow those philosophies, you put yourself in position to compete for championships.''
Dantonio selection praised nationally
Analysts say former Cincinnati coach a 'great hire' for MSU
By Neil Koepke
Lansing State Journal
EAST LANSING - No one is predicting Big Ten championships any time soon.
But the fellow coaches and national pundits had nothing but praise for Michigan State's hiring of Mark Dantonio on Monday.
Most say Dantonio will put toughness and accountability back into the MSU program, but note that fans will need to be patient.
"Mark will build a great program and will do a great job. We're looking forward to competing against him, but the neighborhood just got a little tougher,'' said Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who twice hired Dantonio as an assistant coach over the past 20 years.
When Tressel was head coach at Youngstown State, he hired Dantonio in 1986. And when Tressel took over at Ohio State in 2001, he lured Dantonio away from Michigan State to become the Buckeyes' defensive coordinator.
Dantonio coached under Nick Saban for five of his six seasons at MSU from 1995-2000.
"Mark really has the right blend for Michigan State,'' said Saban, now coach of the NFL's Miami Dolphins. "He brings honesty and integrity to the Spartan football program.
"Mark was one of the top recruiters on (our) coaching staff.''
Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN's college football analyst, believes Dantonio is the right guy to bring back the toughness and discipline that the Spartan program has seemed to lack in recent seasons.
"As a fan of the Big Ten and a fan of Mark Dantonio, I love it. He will bring class to Michigan State,'' Herbstreit said.
"He'll recruit character and bring a similar feel and attributes that you see from Ohio State's team. I can't wait to see Michigan State in about three years, once Mark has a chance to recruit his kind of players.''
Chris Spielman, a former standout Ohio State linebacker and now an ESPN analyst, said MSU teams used to be known for their physical play and overall toughness.
"I haven't seen that for a while. Mark will bring that back. This is a great hire by Michigan State,'' Spielman said. "Mark has Michigan State bloodlines, so he's emotionally invested in the program.''
Bill Burke played quarterback for MSU when Dantonio was a defensive assistant on Saban's staff.
"He's intense on the field and demands a lot of his players but you know that off the field he really cares about you,'' said Burke, who attended Monday's press conference. "He's been able to learn from Nick Saban and Jim Tressel ... about toughness, character and accountability.
"When players understand those things and follow those philosophies, you put yourself in position to compete for championships.''
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Dantonio known as a tough competitor and well-liked, too
November 28, 2006
BY SHANNON SHELTON and JO-ANN BARNAS
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITERS
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, left, and Cincinnati's Mark Dantonio greet each other after a 2004 game in Columbus. Tressel said of his former assistant's hiring at MSU: "It's a little bit like when one of your players receives his degree or is a first-round draft choice. You just feel good about what they have accomplished." (JAY LAPRETE/Associated Press)
When Jim Tressel was hired as Ohio State's head coach in early 2001, one of his first moves was to name Mark Dantonio his defensive coordinator.
The two met as assistants under Earle Bruce at Ohio State from 1983-84, and Tressel hired him as his defensive backs coach when he took over at Youngstown State in 1986.
By 1990, Dantonio had been elevated to defensive coordinator and helped lead the Penguins to an 11-0 record. He returned to Tressel's tutelage in 2001 and helped lead the Buckeyes to a national title by the end of the 2002 season.
With that background, Tressel said Monday he had little doubt Dantonio would be successful in his latest role as head coach at Michigan State.
"I am so proud to have Mark Dantonio back in the Big Ten," Tressel said. "It's a little bit like when one of your players receives his degree or is a first-round draft choice. You just feel good about what they have accomplished.
"Mark will build a great program and will do a great job. We are looking forward to competing against him, but the neighborhood just got tougher."
In his central Ohio hometown of Zanesville, Dantonio built a reputation as a tough competitor. He played offensive guard as a sophomore at Zanesville High but was converted to outside linebacker -- the monster position -- in his junior year under varsity head coach Ron Apperson.
"In coaching vernacular, he could hit ya," Apperson said with a laugh Monday by phone from his Zanesville home. "He had that temperament you needed to have to play that position. He was very aggressive, and he had that quickness and speed. He really didn't like to lose; he had that drive."
Apperson retired from coaching football at Zanesville in 1994 after 35 seasons. The Blue Devils won the league championship in 1972, Dantonio's junior year, and were 8-2 his senior year in 1973.
Illustrating how well-liked Dantonio is in his hometown, Apperson recalled the reception Dantonio received in May 2004 before his first season as head coach at the University of Cincinnati.
"We had a luncheon for him, to pay him tribute, and 1,000 people came," Apperson said.
To accommodate the large luncheon crowd, the Zanesville High quarterback club hosted the event at a church. Among those in attendance were Tressel, Buckeyes offensive coordinator Jim Bollman, and teammates and coaches from Dantonio's 1973 football team.
"I remember when I called Coach Tressel to ask if he would come to Zanesville to honor Mark, he called me back at 4:45 p.m.," Apperson said. "Mark, I had to talk him into it. He didn't want the recognition. I said, 'I'm not asking, I'm telling: You're coming back!' "
What impressed members of MSU's search committee was Dantonio's love for the school and his willingness to take risks to grow as a coach.
"He had the intestinal fortitude to leave a cushy program at Ohio State where he probably could have won another national championship to take over his own team at Cincinnati and demonstrate he could be a head coach for those three years there," MSU athletic director Ron Mason said.
With roots in Ohio and familiarity with Michigan and the Midwest in general, Dantonio's ability to recruit the area and beyond is considered top-notch. In a statement released Monday, former MSU coach Nick Saban called Dantonio one of the top recruiters on his staff, a characteristic MSU associate athletics director Mark Hollis also noted Monday.
"He has a personality that fits Michigan State," Hollis said. "He's a hard-worker ... he has a deep, deep passion for the position. He knows how to get to Lansing, he knows how to get to Grand Rapids, Detroit, Flint, every square inch of the state of Michigan and Ohio."
Apperson said he and Dantonio stay in touch by mail, with handwritten notes and letters. But last March, Apperson received a nice surprise from Dantonio -- a phone call -- when Apperson, 71, was hospitalized with a heart infection.
"When you're in the hospital for three weeks, that can get you down," Apperson said. "When I got that call from Mark, that really picked me up."
Last Saturday, Apperson mailed Dantonio a letter congratulating him for coaching Cincinnati to an upset of No. 7 Rutgers -- the highest-ranked team the Bearcats have ever beaten.
But Monday, Apperson said he planned to forgo pen and paper to congratulate his former linebacker. "I have to call him this time," he said.
Dantonio known as a tough competitor and well-liked, too
November 28, 2006
BY SHANNON SHELTON and JO-ANN BARNAS
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITERS
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, left, and Cincinnati's Mark Dantonio greet each other after a 2004 game in Columbus. Tressel said of his former assistant's hiring at MSU: "It's a little bit like when one of your players receives his degree or is a first-round draft choice. You just feel good about what they have accomplished." (JAY LAPRETE/Associated Press)
When Jim Tressel was hired as Ohio State's head coach in early 2001, one of his first moves was to name Mark Dantonio his defensive coordinator.
The two met as assistants under Earle Bruce at Ohio State from 1983-84, and Tressel hired him as his defensive backs coach when he took over at Youngstown State in 1986.
By 1990, Dantonio had been elevated to defensive coordinator and helped lead the Penguins to an 11-0 record. He returned to Tressel's tutelage in 2001 and helped lead the Buckeyes to a national title by the end of the 2002 season.
With that background, Tressel said Monday he had little doubt Dantonio would be successful in his latest role as head coach at Michigan State.
"I am so proud to have Mark Dantonio back in the Big Ten," Tressel said. "It's a little bit like when one of your players receives his degree or is a first-round draft choice. You just feel good about what they have accomplished.
"Mark will build a great program and will do a great job. We are looking forward to competing against him, but the neighborhood just got tougher."
In his central Ohio hometown of Zanesville, Dantonio built a reputation as a tough competitor. He played offensive guard as a sophomore at Zanesville High but was converted to outside linebacker -- the monster position -- in his junior year under varsity head coach Ron Apperson.
"In coaching vernacular, he could hit ya," Apperson said with a laugh Monday by phone from his Zanesville home. "He had that temperament you needed to have to play that position. He was very aggressive, and he had that quickness and speed. He really didn't like to lose; he had that drive."
Apperson retired from coaching football at Zanesville in 1994 after 35 seasons. The Blue Devils won the league championship in 1972, Dantonio's junior year, and were 8-2 his senior year in 1973.
Illustrating how well-liked Dantonio is in his hometown, Apperson recalled the reception Dantonio received in May 2004 before his first season as head coach at the University of Cincinnati.
"We had a luncheon for him, to pay him tribute, and 1,000 people came," Apperson said.
To accommodate the large luncheon crowd, the Zanesville High quarterback club hosted the event at a church. Among those in attendance were Tressel, Buckeyes offensive coordinator Jim Bollman, and teammates and coaches from Dantonio's 1973 football team.
"I remember when I called Coach Tressel to ask if he would come to Zanesville to honor Mark, he called me back at 4:45 p.m.," Apperson said. "Mark, I had to talk him into it. He didn't want the recognition. I said, 'I'm not asking, I'm telling: You're coming back!' "
What impressed members of MSU's search committee was Dantonio's love for the school and his willingness to take risks to grow as a coach.
"He had the intestinal fortitude to leave a cushy program at Ohio State where he probably could have won another national championship to take over his own team at Cincinnati and demonstrate he could be a head coach for those three years there," MSU athletic director Ron Mason said.
With roots in Ohio and familiarity with Michigan and the Midwest in general, Dantonio's ability to recruit the area and beyond is considered top-notch. In a statement released Monday, former MSU coach Nick Saban called Dantonio one of the top recruiters on his staff, a characteristic MSU associate athletics director Mark Hollis also noted Monday.
"He has a personality that fits Michigan State," Hollis said. "He's a hard-worker ... he has a deep, deep passion for the position. He knows how to get to Lansing, he knows how to get to Grand Rapids, Detroit, Flint, every square inch of the state of Michigan and Ohio."
Apperson said he and Dantonio stay in touch by mail, with handwritten notes and letters. But last March, Apperson received a nice surprise from Dantonio -- a phone call -- when Apperson, 71, was hospitalized with a heart infection.
"When you're in the hospital for three weeks, that can get you down," Apperson said. "When I got that call from Mark, that really picked me up."
Last Saturday, Apperson mailed Dantonio a letter congratulating him for coaching Cincinnati to an upset of No. 7 Rutgers -- the highest-ranked team the Bearcats have ever beaten.
But Monday, Apperson said he planned to forgo pen and paper to congratulate his former linebacker. "I have to call him this time," he said.
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A Quick Exit For Dantonio
Spartans Land Bearcats Coach
November 28, 2006
By DESMOND CONNER, Courant Staff Writer
Mark Dantonio's hiring at Michigan State probably didn't surprise too many people given his history with the program and his work on the field and as a recruiter at Ohio State before taking his first head coaching job at Cincinnati three years ago.
But it sure did happen quickly after Cincinnati finished a 7-5 regular season with a 26-23 victory over UConn Saturday. Dantonio officially interviewed for the job Sunday, agreed to a five-year, $1.1 million contract later in the evening and told athletic director Mike Thomas of his decision shortly before making the announcement to the team at a 7 a.m. meeting Monday.
Dantonio, 50, who was introduced at the Spartans coach later in the afternoon, replaces John L. Smith, who went 4-8 this season and 22-26 in four seasons. Dantonio will not coach the Bearcats in their bowl game, which could be the International Bowl in Toronto on Jan. 6. Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi was appointed Cincinnati's interim coach and will coach the team in the bowl game.
Athletic director Mike Thomas said Narduzzi, 40, is a candidate for the permanent job, which he hopes to fill before Christmas.
"I spoke with [Dantonio] this morning about whether or not he would stay and coach the bowl game, and it came out as a mutual decision that we would find a replacement," Thomas said.
Dantonio becomes the first coach to leave the revamped Big East. Conference commissioner Mike Tranghese said he'd be worried if coaches didn't leave.
"What I'm more worried about is that nobody wants to hire our coaches," Tranghese said on the Big East coaches conference call.
Before Louisville joined the Big East, Cardinals coach Bobby Petrino's name had been linked to several jobs, such as Mississippi, LSU and Notre Dame and the Oakland Raiders in the NFL. When it was announced that John Bunting wouldn't return to North Carolina, West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez's name popped up fast. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, a former Miami assistant, has not been able to quell speculation about whether he is staying in New Jersey or headed to Miami to replace Larry Coker.
Schools have put significant buyout clauses in their contracts with coaches.
"If they want them, they're going to have to pay a hefty, hefty price for them because I think our schools are doing [what is] necessary to make our positions more attractive," Tranghese said.
Dantonio was the defensive coordinator for Ohio State's 2002 national championship team. He was Michigan State's secondary coach from 1995-2000 and associate head coach in 2000. He was 18-17 at Cincinnati.
A Quick Exit For Dantonio
November 28, 2006
By DESMOND CONNER, Courant Staff Writer
Mark Dantonio's hiring at Michigan State probably didn't surprise too many people given his history with the program and his work on the field and as a recruiter at Ohio State before taking his first head coaching job at Cincinnati three years ago.
But it sure did happen quickly after Cincinnati finished a 7-5 regular season with a 26-23 victory over UConn Saturday. Dantonio officially interviewed for the job Sunday, agreed to a five-year, $1.1 million contract later in the evening and told athletic director Mike Thomas of his decision shortly before making the announcement to the team at a 7 a.m. meeting Monday.
Dantonio, 50, who was introduced at the Spartans coach later in the afternoon, replaces John L. Smith, who went 4-8 this season and 22-26 in four seasons. Dantonio will not coach the Bearcats in their bowl game, which could be the International Bowl in Toronto on Jan. 6. Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi was appointed Cincinnati's interim coach and will coach the team in the bowl game.
Athletic director Mike Thomas said Narduzzi, 40, is a candidate for the permanent job, which he hopes to fill before Christmas.
"I spoke with [Dantonio] this morning about whether or not he would stay and coach the bowl game, and it came out as a mutual decision that we would find a replacement," Thomas said.
Dantonio becomes the first coach to leave the revamped Big East. Conference commissioner Mike Tranghese said he'd be worried if coaches didn't leave.
"What I'm more worried about is that nobody wants to hire our coaches," Tranghese said on the Big East coaches conference call.
Before Louisville joined the Big East, Cardinals coach Bobby Petrino's name had been linked to several jobs, such as Mississippi, LSU and Notre Dame and the Oakland Raiders in the NFL. When it was announced that John Bunting wouldn't return to North Carolina, West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez's name popped up fast. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, a former Miami assistant, has not been able to quell speculation about whether he is staying in New Jersey or headed to Miami to replace Larry Coker.
Schools have put significant buyout clauses in their contracts with coaches.
"If they want them, they're going to have to pay a hefty, hefty price for them because I think our schools are doing [what is] necessary to make our positions more attractive," Tranghese said.
Dantonio was the defensive coordinator for Ohio State's 2002 national championship team. He was Michigan State's secondary coach from 1995-2000 and associate head coach in 2000. He was 18-17 at Cincinnati.
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Mich. State tabs former OSU assistant
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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Mark Dantonio took the podium upon being introduced as Michigan State?s new football coach yesterday wearing a nice suit, his wedding ring and just one other piece of jewelry: his 2002 Ohio State national championship ring.
The former OSU defensive coordinator used the ring to accentuate his final point, that he wasn?t moving from coach at Cincinnati to Michigan State just for the honor of being in the Big Ten. The ring showed he has bigger goals.
"I wear this championship ring very, very few times, but I wear it for a reason," Dantonio said. "I wear it to symbolize what can happen when you have the resources, when you have the players and most importantly, when you have the commitment.
"We won a national championship at Ohio State after a 7-5 year. ? I believe the record was 14-0. That didn?t happen because of ability. It happened because of a mind-set. ?
"Once you start doing it, it continues. And I believe that can happen here."
Dantonio, 50, signed a five-year contract worth $1.1 million annually. It includes significant bonuses if the team does well. He takes the place of John L. Smith, who was fired a month ago in the midst of a 4-8 season.
"We will go very, very slowly, and walk very boldly and carry a big stick," Dantonio said. "That?s where we?re coming from."
Dantonio coached UC for three seasons and was 18-17. The Bearcats went 7-5 this year and upset unbeaten Rutgers two weeks ago. Cincinnati named defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi interim coach through its bowl game. Athletic director Mike Thomas said there would be a national search to find Dantonio?s successor.
Dantonio was an assistant at Michigan State for five years under Nick Saban and in 2000 under Bobby Williams before moving to OSU after Jim Tressel was hired in 2001. He had been with Tressel for five years at Youngstown State.
"I am just so proud of what Mark?s done," Tressel said from the recruiting trail yesterday. "It?s kind of like when your guys get drafted in the first round of the NFL, you are just so proud for them. And him getting that opportunity, he spent six years there (at MSU), they?ve got lots of friends and they know that he is first-class, will do things the right way and build a program.
"Now, as far as him being in the same neighborhood? Yeah, the neighborhood just got tougher."
Having the opportunity to learn from Saban, who went on to lead Louisiana State to a national title before moving to the Miami Dolphins, and from Tressel was invaluable, Dantonio said.
"From coach Saban, what I think I learned is defense," Dantonio said. "I learned a tremendous amount of football, practice organization, all the things that go along with the X?s and O?s of football ? determination, tenacity.
"And from Jim Tressel, I learned patience, hopefully, and compassion for people. Everybody does it a little different way, but I can tell you, I learned that you have to be able to harness the human spirit at some point if you want your players to play well and to play above their ability. I think that is what he is able to do. So we do a lot of things like he does."
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