Hall of Fame
Position: Coach
Years: Cincinnati (2004-06), Michigan State (2007-19)
Place of Birth: El Paso, TX
Date of Birth: March 9, 1956
Career Record: 132-74-0 (64.1%)
The all-time winningest coach in Michigan State history, Mark Dantonio led the Spartans to three Big Ten championships, a Rose Bowl win and a berth in the 2015 College Football Playoff, building on a head coaching career that began with a successful three-year run at Cincinnati. Born in El Paso, Texas, and growing up in Zanesville, Ohio, Dantonio now becomes the fifth Michigan State head coach to enter the College Football Hall of Fame and the fourth coach from Cincinnati.
Dantonio notched a 114-57 record during his 13 years in East Lansing and 18-17 mark during his three seasons at Cincinnati for an overall record of 132-74 with a 64.1 winning percentage.
Dantonio won more Big Ten Championships (three in 2010, 2013 and 2015) and bowl games (six) than any other coach in Spartan history while also ranking first with 12 bowl appearances, including three New Yea's Six bowls (Rose-2013 and Cotton-2014, 2015). His 63.9 winning percentage (a 69-39 record) in Big Ten games is a school best while he stands tied for first in AP Top 25 finishes (seven) and second in Big Ten wins (69), home wins (67) and AP Top 25 wins (21). His Rose Bowl victory was in the 100th edition of "The Granddaddy of Them All."
Dantonio is one of just seven Big Ten coaches to have at least six 10-win seasons, including Hall of Fame coaches Lloyd Carr, Joe Paterno, Bo Schembechler and Jim Tressel, and he is one of just four Big Ten coaches to have at least five 11-win seasons. Dantonio made history by becoming the first Big Ten coach to record five 11-win seasons in a six-year span following MSU's 12-win campaign in 2015. Prior to Dantonio's arrival, MSU had not recorded an 11-win season in its history and had just two 10-win seasons (1965, 1999). Dantonio finished 8-5 overall (.615) vs. Michigan, the highest winning percentage of any Spartan coach against the archrival Wolverines.
A two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2010, 2013), Dantonio led Michigan State to Top 25 finishes seven times, including No. 24 in 2008, No. 14 in 2010, No. 10 (USA TODAY) in 2011, No. 3 in 2013, No. 5 in 2014, No. 6 in 2015, No. 15 (Associated Press) in 2017. Dantonio finished his career ranked No. 11 in the Big Ten record books in both overall wins (114) and Big Ten wins (69). Dantonio had 11 winning seasons in his 13 years in East Lansing, tying Hall of Fame Coach Duffy Daugherty for the most winning seasons by a Spartan head coach. He was named National Coach of the Year by both CBS Sports and Rivals in 2010, and he was finalist for the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award in 2015.
At Cincinnati, Dantonio led the Bearcats to two bowl appearances in his three years, establishing him as one of the nation's up-and-coming coaches while leading the program's transition from Conference USA to the BIG EAST Conference.
Dantonio helped develop 10 First Team All-Americans and 12 selections overall, and he helped produce 41 First Team All-Big Ten selections. Thirty-one Spartans were chosen in the NFL Draft under Dantonio's watch.
In addition, 219 Spartans earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, including nine Academic All-America selections and NFF National Scholar-Athletes and Campbell Trophy® finalists Kirk Cousins (2011), Max Bullough (2013) and Mike Sadler (2014).
In his three seasons at Cincinnati, 21 of his players earned All-BIG EAST honors and 40 received academic all-conference recognition.
Dantonio spent 40 years in collegiate coaching, including 16 seasons as a head coach and stints as an assistant at Ohio State, Michigan State, Kansas, Youngstown State (under Hall of Fame Coach Jim Tressel), Akron, Butler, Purdue, and Ohio. He played defensive back for South Carolina from 1976-78.
Active in the community, Dantonio and his wife, Becky, have raised funds for numerous charities, scholarship programs and the Children's Miracle Network at the Sparrow Children Center's in Lansing. They also hosted an annual women's football clinic nearly every year of his tenure with proceeds going to local charities. For his work in the community, Dantonio received the 2016 Gene Stallings Award, which is given annually to college football head coaches for their work in the community.
