| Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley | | | | upset then No. 7 Rutgers on Nov. 18, the |
| | | | highest ranked team Cincinnati has ever |
| Michigan State University has a football | | | | beaten. |
| history of folding when it counts. In recent | | | | |
| years they seem to win early in the season | | | | Before moving on to Cincinnati, Dantonio |
| and then raise losing to an art form when it | | | | served as defensive coordinator under Jim |
| really matters. Those days may be over | | | | Tressel at Ohio State, assembling the defense |
| starting this fall. | | | | that led the Buckeyes to the national title |
| | | | in 2002. Ohio State was 2nd nationally in |
| By unloading John L. Smith and hiring Mark | | | | scoring defense and 3rd in rushing defense |
| Dantonio as their new head football coach, | | | | during its perfect season. |
| the Spartans have put themselves in a | | | | |
| position to perform better than any time | | | | In 2003, Dantonio's defense at Ohio State was |
| since the legendary Duffy Daugherty coached | | | | 2nd nationally against the run, 10th in total |
| Michigan State to a combined 19-1-1 record in | | | | defense and 16th in scoring defense. |
| 1965 and 1966, winning back-to-back Big Ten | | | | |
| and National Championships. | | | | He was a member of Earle Bruce's Ohio State |
| | | | staff in 1983 and 1984, helping the Buckeyes |
| The reason is simple: Dantonio is a winner | | | | to the Fiesta Bowl and Rose Bowl. |
| from a pedigree that screams success. | | | | |
| | | | Dantonio has spent the majority of his |
| He does not have to talk about what he is | | | | coaching career in Ohio where he also helped |
| going to do as Michigan State's new coach | | | | the Akron Zips to an 8-3 record and an |
| because he, unlike so many others, has | | | | appearance in the Division I-AA playoffs. |
| already done a lot of significant winning in | | | | |
| support roles under Nick Saban, Jim Tressel | | | | He then joined Jim Tressel's staff at |
| and Earle Bruce, all winners and outstanding | | | | Youngstown State and helped the Penguins make |
| football coaches. | | | | 3 Division I-AA playoffs during 5 seasons, |
| | | | and posted a perfect 11-0 regular season |
| To say Michigan State has been in the dumper | | | | record in 1990 when he was the defensive |
| since Duffy Daugherty left in 1972 is being | | | | coordinator. |
| kind. In 34 seasons, the Spartans have been | | | | |
| barely above .500. They have won only 8 or | | | | When Tressel became Ohio State's coach |
| more games just once in consecutive seasons | | | | Dantonio followed as his defensive |
| and have had one Rose Bowl appearance which | | | | coordinator. |
| happened under Nick Saban with Mark Dantonio | | | | |
| as his secondary coach. Dantonio spent 6 | | | | Dantonio is clearly a winner, and I believe |
| seasons at MSU in this role. | | | | he will find some winning players and train |
| | | | them to excel. In business and in football |
| He also contributed to Michigan State's | | | | there are really only two possible outcomes: |
| successful 1999 season when the Spartans went | | | | results or excuses. Dantonio has made a |
| 10-2, won the Florida Citrus Bowl and were | | | | career out of producing results. |
| ranked No. 7 in the final polls. | | | | |
| | | | I believe that Mark Dantonio is savvy enough |
| Michigan State's secondary under Dantonio was | | | | to surround himself with more winners like |
| regarded as one of the best in college | | | | himself, and together with his staff will |
| football, ranking 10th in pass efficiency | | | | lead the Michigan State Spartans out of the |
| defense in 1998 and 7th in 2000. A half dozen | | | | mud hole that they have been stuck in for far |
| Spartan defenders under Dantonio were NFL | | | | too long. |
| draft picks. | | | | |
| | | | Let me make it clear that I am a Michigan |
| Now Dantonio returns as head coach and things | | | | State University graduate from the Class of |
| are going to get a lot better in Spartan | | | | 1966. I know that dates me, but it hardly |
| Stadium. | | | | affects my memory. I remember when Michigan |
| | | | State was arguably THE football team in the |
| Dantonio spent 3 years as head coach at the | | | | country during 1965 and 1966. |
| University of Cincinnati where he became the | | | | |
| first head coach in 23 years to pilot a team | | | | I am so happy that Dantonio is a Midwest boy |
| to a winning season in his initial campaign, | | | | born and bred. He has the strong Midwest ties |
| capping the season with a convincing 32-14 | | | | to compete effectively against major magnets |
| win over Marshall in the PlainsCapital Fort | | | | like Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame. |
| Worth Bowl. | | | | |
| | | | I was born and raised in Michigan and now |
| Only the legendary Sid Gillman had taken | | | | reside on the West Coast in Washington State. |
| Cincinnati to a bowl game in his initial | | | | Let me tell you that folks in Washington are |
| season as head coach. | | | | different than those in the Midwest, not |
| | | | better or worse but different. |
| Even this season the Cincinnati Bearcats | | | | |