Editorial: Dantonio changed the game
MSU football's head coach overcame adversity, pushed consistency and discipline to make a mark with team
Editorial: Dantonio changed the game MSU football's head coach overcame adversity, pushed consistency and discipline to make a mark with team Check out this story on lansingstatejournal.com: http://on.lsj.com/2brFC9d
Published 6:03 a.m. ET Aug. 14, 2016
MSU Men's Basketball Head Coach Tom Izzo (right) shares a laugh with MSU Football Head Coach Mark Dantonio during the MSU Green and White Spring game Saturday April 25, 2009 in East Lansing. Izzo took the field and wore the head coach's headset for a brief time during the game. KEVIN W. FOWLER PHOTO Photo Gallery(Photo: Kevin W. Fowler, Kevin W. Fowler)
Coach Mark Dantonio has led the Michigan State Spartans football team to some impressive championships and bowl games.
He has an 87-33 record going into his tenth season as head coach, and has brought home three Big Ten titles and four top-10 finishes.
The team may or may not be on track for another championship season, but championships are but one reason Dantonio should be celebrated.
Even those who have never set foot in Spartan Stadium know who Dantonio is. His focus on sportsmanship and professional behavior on and off the field has led the program to unprecedented popularity. His focus on the community he calls his own shows his dedication to that mission.
Dantonio has brought consistency and discipline to MSU football, and in doing so changed the game.
LANSING STATE JOURNAL
A decade of Dantonio
As with any team, the Spartans have experienced missteps both on and off the field. Several players were suspended from the team for run-ins with the law or violations of team rules. That number has steadily decreased.
Under Dantonio, each player who joins Spartan Nation is greeted with the same direct, no-nonsense approach that has become a trademark of sorts. Though seemingly gruff with media, Dantonio is known to have a softer side with his team and helps create a sense of family that helps players develop as athletes and men.
How he handled the Rather Hall incident in 2009 is indicative of how he runs the program: he methodically walked the players through suspensions, kicked two off the team and moved forward with his mission of expectation and discipline.
Football is a sport and is about winning. But through emphasis on teamwork and professional responsibility, Dantonio has raised the stakes and helped make many players into fine young men.
And nine straight bowl game appearances show the on-field tactics are making their mark. And it reaffirms that MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis made the absolute right choice in 2006 when Dantonio was hired.
Athletes who are better people on and off the field are more marketable in professional sports; yet even those who never play pro football will benefit from the strength of character and discipline nurtured by Coach D.
Dantonio has led MSU football to a higher level, and the community has rallied around his vision.
His players love him; MSU alumni love him; even his assistant coaches remain loyal – eight followed him here when he took the job a decade ago, four remain with him to this day.
The community loves Dantonio too, and will continue to cheer for the coach that changed the game.
– An LSJ editorial
Related links:Top 10 players of the Dantonio era, Video: Mark Dantonio through the years
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