Mark Dantonio

Mark Dantonio had more success at Michigan State than any coach in the modern era of college football. Dantonio coached the Spartans from 2007-2019, racking up a 114-57 overall record, which makes him the winningest coach in school history. MSU won three Big Ten championships and finished ranked in the top 25 seven times under his watch. Dantonio was also the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2013. The Spartans also most notably finished the 2013 season 13-1 after winning the Rose Bowl and qualified for the College Football Playoff in 2015. Prior to arriving in East Lansing, Dantonio was the head coach at Cincinnati for three years. He got the Bearcats job after becoming a noted defensive master during stops as a defensive coordinator at Ohio State and defensive backs coach at Michigan State. A former player himself for the University of South Carolina, Dantonio earned three letters as a defensive back for the Gamecocks throughout his time there along with a bachelor’s degree in education. He then began his coaching career with Ohio University in 1980, the same year he graduated from the university for receiving his masters degree.