Mark Dantonio said his intent is to return as Michigan State's football coach. His plan, in his words, is "to complete the circle."
He said what he had to say, and it was important to hear. Not as important as what he has to do.
Does the winningest coach in program history, an imposing figure with three Big Ten titles, a playoff berth and an overall record of 111-57 in 13 seasons, deserve a chance to rebuild? Sure. As long as he's willing to do what it takes, and that's a daunting task.
Dantonio has to rally fans and donors frustrated by a five-game losing streak, including a 44-10 loss to Michigan. He has to put his team back together, both in recruiting and talent development. He has to find a quarterback. He has to figure out what to do with a woefully under-performing offensive staff, whose contracts are all expiring. He has to do it in an environment where division rivals Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan are much stronger than earlier in his tenure.
And he has to do it inside a leadership vacuum at Michigan State, where the new president, Samuel Stanley, and the athletic director, Bill Beekman, have no experience running a major college football program. The Board of Trustees has no history of working cohesively or proactively. That actually could work in Dantonio's favor, as there's no indication the fledgling administration is contemplating a move. In fact, Beekman has said it's "not even a discussion."
So if Dantonio, 63, deeply wants to return after another poor season _ 4-6 heading to Rutgers on Saturday _ amid a four-year run of 24-24, it's unlikely anyone would fire him. But you can reasonably ask, why would he want to stay and potentially endure more pain?
