| Mark Dantonio has been the head football coach | | | | prominence of his coaching resume and gained |
| for the Michigan State University (MSU) Spartans | | | | him more national exposure. After 1984 Mark |
| since November 27, 2006 when he was hired to | | | | parlayed his Ohio State experience into positions |
| oversee the football program of the East Lansing, | | | | with the University of Akron and Youngstown |
| Michigan based college that has in excess of | | | | State before joining the University of Kansas as |
| 45,000 students. During his three seasons with | | | | the defensive backs coach from 1991-1994. |
| the Spartans Dantonio has a combined record of | | | | After living in Lawrence, Kansas while working for |
| 22-17 after suffering his first losing season at | | | | the University of Kansas football program Mark |
| Michigan State in 2009 with a record of 6-7. | | | | spent five years with Michigan State from 1995 |
| Born in March of 1956 Coach Dantonio had a | | | | to 2000. Upon leaving the Spartans in 2000 the |
| number of coaching assignments before signing on | | | | next move was back to Columbus, Ohio to serve |
| with the Michigan State program. The earliest | | | | as the defensive coordinator of the Buckeyes |
| days of the coaching career of Mark Dantonio | | | | from 2001-2003 where he was part of the 2002 |
| were as a general assistant at Ohio University and | | | | national championship team. |
| then Purdue University in 1980 and 1981. Mark | | | | Finally on December 23, 2003 the University of |
| spent a year as the defensive coordinator at | | | | Cincinnati gave Mark Dantonio his first head |
| Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas in | | | | coaching job. In three seasons with the University |
| 1982 before returning to a general assistant | | | | of Cincinnati Bearcats Coach Dantonio posted an |
| capacity with Ohio State University for the 1983 | | | | 18-17 record which was good enough to garner |
| and 1984 seasons. | | | | the attention of the Michigan State University |
| The Ohio State coaching position under then head | | | | Spartans who in November of 2006 made their |
| Buckeyes coach Earl Bruce proved to be a pivotal | | | | former assistant, Mark Dantonio, the 24th head |
| point in the coaching career of Mark Dantonio as | | | | football coach of the MSU Spartans. |
| the high profile football program boosted the | | | | |