Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio is in no danger of losing his job, according to athletic director Bill Beekman.
Beekman told the Lansing State Journal that dismissing Dantonio “is not even a discussion” despite a disappointing 2019 season. He added, “Mark’s our head coach, there’s no doubt about that.”
Dantonio became Michigan State’s all-time winningest coach earlier this fall and boasts a 111-55 record in 13 seasons with the Spartans. He has led Michigan State to three Big Ten championships and a college football playoff appearance in 2015.
But since 2015, Michigan State is 24-22, including a 4-4 mark this season. Dantonio must give a deposition after the season in the wrongful termination lawsuit former staffer Curtis Blackwell filed against the school. Blackwell testified that Dantonio ignored the warnings of assistant coaches while recruiting a player who subsequently was convicted of sexually assaulting a fellow MSU student.
Dantonio, 63, had his annual rollover contract picked up in February, so he’s signed through 2025. He is set to earn a $4.3 million retention bonus if still Michigan State’s coach on Jan. 15, 2020. The Detroit Free Press reported Dantonio would not receive the retention bonus if he’s fired or retires before Jan. 15, but would receive a $7 million guarantee from the school.
Michigan State resumes play Saturday when it hosts Illinois.