Mark Dantonio steps down from MSU

[Cliftonite]

I don't know how his "sources" would know Prater wants to transfer already, seems odd, Prater was all about UC and playing with local guys as a hometown recruit. Have to question if that part of it wasn't just tacked-on to it somehow. Certainly possible, but seems odd he'd have made that decision already.

[red_n_black_attack]

Hope that is all BS by someone looking for attention, but could see it all being true... Would really suck to lose Prater because of this

It was on a message board full of wishful thinking. As to recruits or players following Luke, hard to say, but it sucks. They can't recruit so they buy a coach and players. I can see it both ways, Coach wants to continue relationships with players or Coach wants them to honor their commitments.

At the very least, I hope we get Marcus as HC and Gino as OC, asst HC. Still nothing but hopes and prayers until there is an announcement, just like the MSU message boards.

[Chewbacca2099]

Hope that is all BS by someone looking for attention, but could see it all being true... Would really suck to lose Prater because of this

[Cliftonite]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EQWvcE0WsAU3hdi?format=jpg&name=900x900

[Cliftonite]

https://i.iheart.com/v3/re/new_assets/5e3da837a2ebe2ccc96f61be?ops=max(650,0),quality(80)

[red_n_black_attack]

This has got to be tough on Luke, his family, the coaching staff, and the team. The waiting is the hardest part. Still hoping to hear a contract extension with raises for his entire staff. Either way, Luke has been a Godsend to this program and I hope whatever he decides comes with the peace that he has fully weighed all pros and cons.

[swilsonsp4]

Detroit Free Press reported that AD Beekman arrived back in Lansing without Fickell aboard. That doesn't mean that this is over, but at least he didn't convince Fickell to visit now (or didn't try).

[steveedwards]

The plane has departed Cincinnati.

[steveedwards]

That is not a good sign.

[Lobot]

The plane has filed a new flight plan. Going back to Lansing

[steveedwards]

Just saw that. Plane leaving here at 2:30.

[red_n_black_attack]

Are they chasing after Franklin or one of his assistants? Why is plane going to Happy Valley?

[Lobot]

The plane that Beekman took into Lunken last night is flying into State College PA (Penn St) after the interview. Unless they offer and Fickell excepts on the spot they aren't done interviewing yet.

My whole feeling about this thing is yes, he could take the job. I seriously don't think he will unless the offer is astronomical. I think it's a bad move on his part with everything that MSU has going on administratively right now. Even if Beekman throws a huge check at him, dealing with possible sanctions, legal fallout, competition, etc at that school make it a complete uphill struggle. Maybe Fickell wants that kind of challenge and I do think he could pull it off but is it really worth moving your family to East Lansing MI after just 3 years? East Lansing and the campus are nice but is is definitely not Columbus or Cincinnati as far as quality of family life goes. Especially after the statements he made at the Bicentennial Bash and thereafter about not wanting to relocate his family.

The other side of this equation is that John Cunningham is not Mike Bohn. He's been on the job about 2 months. He also hasn't said much of anything in public regarding Fickell's contract other than he knows an extension needs to get done eventually. This is probably how it should be. I personally wouldn't want to negotiate a multimilion dollar contract in the public sphere. I have no idea if these two have even had time to really feel each other out at this point but I know that Cunningham is probably aware that he'd be run of of town if he let's FIckell walk without a fight. The major issue for Cunningham is budget constraints. When he has to counter the MSU offer will we have enough money to make it worth staying here. We're not going to beat MSU's offer on dollar amount but I think we can where other factors are concerned so it's a matter of can we get close enough to make it work for Fickell and his family.

[coach]

Flying your ad around the country to talk to guys is indicative of one thing. They were not planning on being in this situation.

[Colonel]

I could not agree more. Fickell has been an outstanding coach at UC and fans of the program should be grateful for the job he and his staff have done. It does seem odd that he will be interviewed in Cincinnati instead of East Lansing. But for anyone to say anything definite when it seems to be based on unnamed “sources with knowledge of the search” is jumping to conclusions without evidence to support those conclusions.

This. We all just need to walk away from the ledge. The process needs to work itself out.