Michigan State football: 5 potential replacements for Mark Dantonio

If Mark Dantonio’s run as head coach at Michigan State is coming to an end, who would be on the list to replace him?

Michigan State dropped to 4-3 this season with a 48-0 loss to Wisconsin on Saturday. Over their last two games, albeit against two top-10 teams with a loss to Ohio State last week, the Spartans have been outscored 72-10. Head coach Mark Dantonio is not necessarily on the hot seat, but he may be feeling some heat regardless.

After the Spartans had the No. 126 scoring offense in the country last year (18.7 points per game), and came in 116th in the country in total offense (342.1 yards per game), Dantonio essentially rearranged the deck chairs on his offensive staff. In their three losses this season, to Arizona State, Ohio State and Wisconsin, the Spartans have scored a total of 17 points.

After Saturday’s loss to Wisconsin, a reporter asked Dantonio if it was a mistake to not bring in a new offensive staff. And if it wasn’t a mistake, how can the offense be fixed?

Dantonio did not appreciate the premise, as the season only edges over the halfway point in his estimation, with a slightly NSFW response.

"I don’t think we ask those questions right now, we’re six, seven games into the schedule, I think that’s sort of a dumbass question to be quite honest with you."

Since going 36-5 from 2013-2015, with a trip to the Rose Bowl, trips to back-to-back Cotton Bowls capped by a trip to the College Football Playoff in 2015 and finishing in the top-six nationally all three seasons, the Spartans have gone 3-9, 10-3, 7-6 and now 4-3.

In his 13th season, it’s possible Dantonio’s run in East Lansing is simply coming to a bitter end and it’s becoming clear he’s not the guy to foster a resurgence. If losses continue after an upcoming bye, with Penn State next on the schedule Oct. 26 and rival Michigan on the slate Nov. 9, his post-game press conferences are sure to get more interesting and tense.

Assuming a change is indeed inevitable, via a dismissal, a “mutual parting of ways” or less likely a retirement, here are five candidates to replace Dantonio as Michigan State’s head coach.

5. Luke Fickell, Cincinnati head coach

Fickell is a deeply rooted Ohio State man, as a player and assistant coach all the way up to being an interim head coach in 2011 and co-defensive coordinator under Urban Meyer from 2012-2016. So among Spartans’ fans, hiring him as head football coach could be regarded as sacrilege.

But Fickell’s got things rolling pretty well at Cincinnati, with an 11-2 record last year and a 5-1 mark so far this season. The Bearcats had a top-10 scoring defense in the country last year, and they were no worse than 26th in total (11th), pass (26th) and run defense (13th) They aren’t quite on that same level so far this year, but it’s easy to see Fickell getting mentioned for bigger jobs in the coaching carousel this year as his team should continue putting marks in the win column through AAC play.

Dantonio came directly from Cincinnati as well, for what it’s worth. But Fickell stands on his own as a candidate for Michigan State.