Does anyone want to coach Michigan State football? Luke Fickell is 5th coach to turn down Spartans
Michigan State’s coaching search continues after missing out on their top five targets.
Even in retirement, Mark Dantonio is finding ways to pile up losses for Michigan State.
Dantonio last Tuesday on the eve of National Signing Day and left Michigan State football in a difficult position of trying to find a coach this late in the offseason. The Spartans administration ideally would have preferred Dantonio to make up his mind about his future in late November or early December so they would be able to play the field and undergo a proper coaching search.
Dantonio did what was best for him when he abruptly retired and it’s hurting his former school and players who are trying to move on with a new era of Spartans football.
The logical front-runner to replace Dantonio was Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell, but he will not be coming to East Lansing to save the Spartans. Fickell announced on Monday morning he will be stating in Cincinnati after interviewing with Michigan State over the weekend.
Fickell turning down Michigan State is a punch to the gut for the program and the fans who believed Fickell would be a lock. Michigan State is a better job than Cincinnati but it wasn’t a better job for Fickell right now. In short, that’s why he’s staying put in Cincinnati where he can stay as long as he wants and wait for the perfect opportunity to present itself.
https://twitter.com/CoachFick/status/1226884009311002625
Fickell is the fifth known coaching candidate to reject Michigan State after Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, Colorado’s Mel Tucker, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Pittsburgh’s Pat Narduzzi.
Michigan State may elect to roll into 2020 with interim head coach Mike Tressel at the helm and reevaluate things next fall. This will essentially be punting on the 2020 season and recruiting for the year ahead, but Michigan State doesn’t have many other options.
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reports former Wisconsin and Arkansas head coach and current assistant for the New York Giants, Bret Bielema, could be a candidate considering he had a lot of success in the conference during his time with the Badgers and he is at least a known commodity.
Wouldn't be surprised if #MichiganState made a run at #Giants assistant Bret Bielema. He's a proven winner at the Big Ten level (won 40 games in his last 4 years at Wisconsin).. Has a big presence and would re-energize that fan base in a hurry.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 10, 2020
Bielema would be a better option than the unproven and inexperienced Tressel if the choice is between the two, but with Michigan State already 0-for-5 on the market for Dantonio’s successor, the pressure is mounting to find someone, anyone, who will say yes to Michigan State.
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