Mark Dantonio
Mark Dantonio
Mark Justin Dantoniois an American football coach and former player. He is the current head football coach at Michigan State University, a position he has held since the 2007 season, presiding over one of the most successful eras in the program's history. He's led the Michigan State Spartans to three Big Ten Conference championships, and seven victories over archrival Michigan in eight years. In 2013, he coached Michigan State to its first 13-win season and the program's fifth trip to...
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth9 March 1956
CityEl Paso, TX
Dave is an individual I have coached with in the past, and someone who I have the utmost respect for as a coach and as a person. He has a tremendous amount of experience at coaching offense at the Division I level, and has ties to the BIG EAST Conference as a player and a coach.
It was as tough an experience as I've had in coaching. It was one that we will remember.
They controlled the line of scrimmage up front. Usually when you're able to do that, you're able to win the football game. It was difficult to run the football.
It's an extremely great class for us. This year's class builds on our previous two and has established a foundation for us to build championships.
We are pretty banged up in some areas on our team, but our attitude was outstanding this spring, and we look forward to the 2006 season.
We actually don't feel any pressure. I mean, we see what they are going through, but it hasn't changed our mindset. We have to be successful for us, period. Other programs' success or failure does not add to the pressure we put on ourselves.
We didn't affect the quarterback. We brought pressure but we didn't get to him. That left people on an island.
They've got an exciting quarterback who can take a bad play and make it a good one. He's special. And they've got a tailback that's elusive.
They remind me of our Ohio State defense in 2002. Teams are not going to score on them. They don't give up big plays. They pressure the ball and force turnovers.
That's not an excuse. We've got to grow up in a hurry.
I think the defense had a little bit to do with that. When the ball got out in space, they got there quick.
Last year, almost whatever could go wrong, went wrong.
I said all along that if Dustin didn't get things moving we were going to go to Nick, we gave him an opportunity and we did do that the entire second quarter.
Our guys have worked hard this spring and we have had good competition at a lot of positions. I have been pleased with our effort most of the time, yet I know we need to get better in a lot of areas, too. I am looking forward to who comes out ready to play and compete on Saturday, and who plays with toughness and who plays fast.