The Dantonio Regime Begins: An Overview of Spartan Football

Mark Dantonio was announced as the 24th head coach of the Michigan State University football program yesterday. Finally, Michigan State has hired the right coach. Dantonio has worked at State and understands the inane politics behind the university athletic director and board of trustees. More importantly, he also has collegiate head coaching experience in a BCS conference (all be it a weak BCS conference).

Dantonio was an assistant under Nick Saban from 1995-2000 and was the defensive back’s coach. He then was promoted to associate head coach under Bobby Williams in 2001. In 2002 he left for the Ohio State University where he helped orchestrate a National Championship. He left the Buckeyes in 2003 when he was hired as the head coach at Cincinnati.

This year at Cincinnati he led a youthful team to a 7-5 record, with four of those losses coming to West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Louisville and the Ohio State. Those teams have a combined record of 41 wins, 5 losses. Dantonio led the upset over then number six Rutgers in a 30-11 romp as well as a 23-6 stomping of an under-rated 8-4 South Florida. South Florida just beat West Virginia in Morgantown this past weekend.

I received a voicemail from someone who was very close to the Michigan State football program in the mid to late nineties and here’s what he said, “If it’s the Dantonio that was there under Saban, then he was the defensive backs coach with the safeties and cornerbacks. He’s a douche bag. We’re in for a long three to four years.”

I don’t hold the same pessimism. Dantonio is a defensive minded coach who fits into a similar mold of his mentors, Nick Saban and Jim Tressel. Michigan State has the talent to go to a bowl game every year, but is not quite at the level to compete for Big Ten Championships. As a head coach, Dantonio can get the Spartans to that next level, but here’s what he needs to do.

Recruiting
Hit the trail hard and keep the current recruits. John L. Smith’s staff did a great job assembling a solid recruiting class for 2007. In order to keep some of these recruits Dantonio needs to keep some of John L.’s coaches, namely quarterbacks coach, Dan Enos, and strength and conditioning coach, Jeff Stoutland. Keith Nichol, an Elite Eleven quarterback, committed to Michigan State in the summer of 2005. He is a dual threat quarterback and loved the spread offense John L. employed. He also had a very close relationship with Enos. If Enos isn’t hired, expect Nichol to jump ship and head to Oklahoma. Jack Cornell Jr., a highly rated offensive lineman out of Ohio, is on the verge of decommitting from State and committing to Nebraska. Jeff Stoutland was Cornell’s primary recruiter. Dantonio must keep these two coaches to maintain the strength of this class. He needs to bolster the secondary, particularly the corner position, as well as the defensive line. On offense he must rebuild the depth at running back. Michigan State has the facilities and intangibles to sign top recruits and Dantonio should plan on going after the top recruits in the mid-west.

Offense
If Nichol signs with State, the quarterback position is in good shape for quite some time. Michigan State has a talented corps of wide receivers and the offensive line is a big strength, especially if the current class of 2007 all sign. The running back position is thin. There is talent, but not a lot of depth. Dantonio should talk to his mentor Tressel about running a similar spread offense. Tressel’s offense has been nearly impossible to slow down this year and although Michigan State does not have a Troy Smith quarterback, the receivers are comparable…if properly coached. Dantonio has stated he would like to run the ball because it shows toughness, but currently State is built for a spread and that must be utilized to be successful.

Defense
Dantonio knows defense. Think back to the late nineties and the durable DB’s State had: Reynaldo Hill, Amp Campbell, Sori Kanu and Aric Morris. The strong safety position was always strength for Michigan State and just last year Dantonio’s last State recruit, Eric Smith, graduated after a solid career as a Spartan. Dantonio won’t run the stupid and ineffective 4-2-5-shell defense. He should consider running a 3-4 defense with “tweeners” like Brandon Long and Ervin, G-Ball, Baldwin. Baldwin is a little larger and is better as a down lineman, but he is athletic enough to drop in coverage in zone blitzes. Long is 6’4’’ and has put on significant weight since entering college. He can play as an outside linebacker or rush end. A 3-4 offers the diversity to run complex blitz packages as well as stuff eight guys in the box to slow the run. Dantonio should also take advantage of the athleticism of SirDarrean Adams and Otis Wiley. Nehemiah Warrick and Travis Key are play-making safeties and a healthy Ross Weaver will and Dantnio’s expertise in the defensive backfield will eliminate many of the blown coverages seen over the last three years. The players are there and it will be interesting to see if Dantonio puts them in position to make plays.

Special Teams
The Spartans lose a Big Ten first team punter in Brandon Fields, but place-kicker Brett Swenson will return after an outstanding freshman year. Michigan State has always been able to play well in the special teams department and Dantonio does not need to do a whole lot to maintain solid special teams play. Javon Ringer, if healthy, is a speedster who is dangerous as a returner. Dantonio could also turn to David Williams, a red shirt freshman, for kick returning duties.

There is a lot of work to be done, but recruiting is the biggest aspect right now. Michigan State has the players, facilities and now the personnel to be successful next year and if Dantonio can have a couple of winning seasons and land some blue-chip recruits the Spartans will be able to contend for a Big Ten title in the near future. That is of course if he doesn't wear a sweater vest.