EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University is reacting to the announcement on Tuesday by Mark Dantonio regarding his retirement.
Dantonio has coached the Spartans since 2007.
The news came as a shock to MSU students, some even told News 10 they were heartbroken.
Davis Wong, a MSU junior said, "That's insane. He's been here as long as I've been here and he's a guy that has always been even-keeled. He's represented our school and our team really well. It's insane that he's retiring."
"I'm kind of heartbroken about it. Dantonio's been a huge legacy here at Michigan State. He's done a lot of things Michigan couldn't do over the past 10 years so we're proud of him for that. We've had a few rough seasons, but at the same time, we got a lot of wins," said Brian Spaulding, a sophomore at MSU. "He's always going to be a legend here at MSU."
The news of Dantonio's retirement also came as a shock to recent recruits who recently committed to play for MSU.
"He's a great coach. I did not think he was going to retire at all," said Joseph Martinez, a senior at Holt High School.
Martinez said he just spoke with Dantonio about joining the Spartans football team days before finding out he announced his retirement.
"I think it shocked everybody, but as you can see like he's pretty old now and he did a lot of things for this program and I'm not shocked, but I am shocked at the same time," Martinez said.
Last weekend, Martinez toured MSU's campus where he was offered a spot to join the Spartans as a preferred walk-on.
"We toured around the facilities," Martinez said. "And I got to talk to Mark Dantonio in his office and that's when he offered me and told me that I needed to bring value."
Martinez's mother Chenika Martinez said after her son was offered a spot, she never thought he was going to step down soon after.
"Joseph said he is thankful that Dantonio gave him this opportunity and is still looking forward to becoming a Spartan.
"MSU has a great staff, not only is Mark Dantonio a great coach, we have Coach White, Coach Salem, Coach Hanes, Coach Tredwell and the remaining of the staff members there," Martinez said.
Dantonio retiring as head coach hasn't deterred Martinez from his commitment though. He will officially sign with MSU Wednesday at 3 p.m.
All in all, students say while there have been a few rough seasons, Dantonio will always be a legend at the university.
MSU President, Samuel L. Stanley Jr. released a statement regarding the announcement. He said, “We are all very grateful for Mark’s contributions to MSU, and not just on the football field. I’ve continued to be impressed by Mark’s leadership and dedication to his players. His commitment to sportsmanship and academics is second to none. He’ll be remembered for these traits in addition to being our winningest coach for Spartan Football. I know the entire Spartan nation joins me in wishing Mark the best in retirement, and I look forward to having him still engaged with the university moving forward," said Stanley.
Dantonio said that he plans to stay on within the university and athletic department in a role involving special projects, especially transitioning players, both current and incoming, to their next challenges.
MSU Athletic Director Bill Beekman said, “Mark Dantonio has provided outstanding leadership for the Spartan football program for the last 13 years. As the all-time winningest coach in school history, he’s raised the bar for Michigan State football." He added, "As we begin the search for Mark’s successor, we will look for the right fit who will continue the success at both the conference and national level.”
Dantonio wasn't just a winner on the field but also academically.
MSU says that in his 13 seasons, a total of 238 players earned their undergraduate degrees and 219 Spartans earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, including nine Academic All-America selections (Blair White, 2009 second team; Sadler, 2014 first team, 2013 first team, 2012 second team, 2011 second team; Max Bullough, 2013 first team, 2012 second team; Cole Chewins, 2017 first team, 2018 second team).
Also, the football program posted its all-time high graduation success rate of 90 percent in the most recent NCAA figures that were released in October 2019 (graduation rates for classes 2009-12).
"He’s mentored young men and led them to success on the field, in the classroom and in life, while serving as a great ambassador for Michigan State University," said Beekman.
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