Mark Dantonio steps down from MSU

[red_n_black_attack]

Not so sure about Butch.

I hesitated to mention him, but he did win more than Tommy, enough so to be wooed by Tennessee

[London 'Cat]

FWIW
https://dailycaller.com/2020/02/07/r...ng-cincinnati/

[swilsonsp4]

FWIW
https://dailycaller.com/2020/02/07/r...ng-cincinnati/

On the other hand, the Detroit Free Press reports that Fickell will interview with MSU this weekend. This article came out this evening, as opposed to the Daily Caller piece from this morning.

That's not to say that he's inclined to take the job, but he's apparently going to listen to the spiel.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2020/02/07/michigan-state-football-coaching-search-luke-fickell-mel-tucker-university-of-cincinnati-ohio/4696198002/

[London 'Cat]

I also read or heard on a podcast that MSU is nowhere close to interviewing yet. Who knows what the truth is. Of course Fickell will listen, even if he has no intent on accepting the job if it is offered. It gives him leverage with UC to negotiate increased compensation for him and his coaching staff,or other terms of employment.

[steveedwards]

Interesting quote from a couple years ago: “We actually made some pacts and I said, 'I promise you I’m not going to run ourselves and our family around the country chasing titles and money and different things.”

https://www.wcpo.com/sports/college-sports/university-of-cincinnati-sports/luke-fickell-isnt-fickle-about-anything-and-certainly-not-family-faith-or-his-football-team

[blackattack]

Interesting quote from a couple years ago: “We actually made some pacts and I said, 'I promise you I’m not going to run ourselves and our family around the country chasing titles and money and different things.”

https://www.wcpo.com/sports/college-...-football-team

apparently the Dantonio Family and Fickell family are very close. You know Mark Dantonio is putting the hard sell on Fickell. I think if he’s offered he’s gone. If he eventually wants to be the head coach at O$U or even ND then this is a logical progression. Much better conference, facilities, and budget to work with. The part that will sting the most for me is that you know Fickell will set his sights on this area as prime recruiting territory especially the GCL.
A couple thoughts about his chances of being successful up there: when Dantonio went up there in 2007 both Michigan and Penn State were a mess. Dantonio peaked in 2015 with an appearance in the CFP and really never did much after that. Not coincidentally it was about that same time MSU’s chief rivals hired new coaches; Harbaugh at Michigan in 2015 and James Franklin at Penn State (2014). Both Harbaugh and Franklin quickly turned things around by recruiting at much higher level than Dantonio.
In other words Fickell won’t have the luxury that Dantonio had with Michigan and Penn State being a mess. We all know Luke is a great recruiter. Can he beat Ryan Day, Harbaugh, and Franklin for the talent necessary to get MSU at an elite level again?? I think we’re going to find out soon enough

[swilsonsp4]

The Detroit Free Press reported that MSU's other top candidate, Mel Tucker, tweeted that he's staying at Colorado and will not interview.

[London 'Cat]

If I were him, I would stick around at UC for one more year. He will have an opportunity for a better opening come December. MSU is a shitshow right now.

[blackattack]

If I were him, I would stick around at UC for one more year. He will have an opportunity for a better opening come December. MSU is a shitshow right now.

I’m with you. Not moving to East Lansing, Michigan for ANY reason. But this is about being able to run a program that has the benefit of cashing Big Ten checks versus UC where we’re barely scraping by financially. Also D1 coaches as a group tend to have very inflated egos (there are a couple in my family). I never bought the narrative that Fickell was different despite the carefully crafted image that he and his wife have put out there. If he doesn’t take the MSU job it’s just delaying the inevitable by a year or two. Ryan Day reportedly has NFL ambitions. So does Harbaugh. James Franklin’s name has been associated with several high profile openings. At some point Brian Kelly is going to get fired if he doesn’t win a NC.

[Bearcats84]

LF has asked his recruits to stay home and go to a smaller program like UC instead of going to bigger programs yet, he is about to take off to a bigger program.

[CroninCrazy]

It's ironic that CLF can recruit and say stay in Cincy with a smaller conference/school while he is possibly doing the opposite.

[CroninCrazy]

I think he should stay "home" in Ohio.

I would get it if it's a big name school with a deeper tradition, but it's just another P5 school.

[longtimefan]

Multiple reports that the MSU AD landed at Lunken this evening. It's time to lock up Marcus Freeman.

[Cliftonite]

Fickell interview is later today (Sunday) in Cincy:

https://twitter.com/BrandonSaho/status/1226323461980770304?s=20

[Jeff Burk]

i wonder if LF had advance knowledge of this from Dantonio and maybe that is why Freeman stayed put.