Mark Dantonio: The new coach at South Carolina University?
By John Buhler
Michigan State Spartans head football coach Mark Dantonio is leaving East Lansing for the vacant head ball coach job in Columbia at South Carolina University?
According to Wikipedia, Mark Justin Dantonio has been presiding over the South Carolina University football program since 2015. That’s odd since Dantonio is still happily employed at Michigan State University, presiding over a strong Spartans program he has built in recent years.
Does South Carolina University exist? The University of South Carolina does exist in the state capital of the Palmetto State. Though the Head Ball Coach Steve Spurrier did hang up the visor abruptly before the South Carolina Gamecocks’ divisional game against the Vanderbilt Commodores, isn’t South Carolina the third most appealing vacant gig in the college coaching ranks?
Surely, the job that both Spurrier and Dantonio have done for the Gamecocks and Spartans, respectively, is undeniable, but why would Dantonio consider leaving East Lansing for Columbia? The Big Ten is on the upswing due in large part to Michigan State’s rise to prominence in the College Football Playoff Era. With both Jim Harbaugh and Urban Meyer coaching in the same Big Ten East Division as Dantonio, would he think about leaving?
If he were to leave, wouldn’t the Southern California Trojans or Miami Hurricanes openings be more enticing? USC is a job that is immensely difficult to say no to and Miami has a proud history in a weak ACC Coastal Division. Though coaching in the SEC may stand as potential reason to jump ship in East Lansing, no one survives the South Carolina job. With Spurrier’s abrupt retirement, that still holds true.
Obviously somebody decided to have some fun on Wikipedia this afternoon. As of now, the University of South Carolina’s interim head coach is Shawn Elliott, former defensive line coach under Spurrier. Dantonio’s Spartans are 8-0 (4-0) entering their Week 9 bye. Three cheers for Wikipedia! Hip, hip, hooray!