FauxMo

February 16th, 2018 at 12:56 PM ^

OK, this was sort-of "automatic," given his contract. If the BoT had gone out of their way to give him a contract extension, I would call this the worst PR move ever. As is, it's just status quo normal, which is still pretty bad... 

sum1valiant

February 16th, 2018 at 1:03 PM ^

The last paragraph of the article, quoting Lou Anna Simon after last year's extension, still sums up the current state of that institution.

"My sense is that, if we had anything to be concerned about, we wouldn't have moved forward with the action today," Simon told reporters after a board meeting in February 2017.

CalifExile

February 16th, 2018 at 4:16 PM ^

Here's the key takeaway from the article: "Dantonio's contract with the Spartans now runs through 2024. He signed in 2016 a six-year rolling contract, which stipulates that one year is added to his deal on an annual basis."

The article doesn't say anything about a firing "for cause" provision, but it's a safe bet there is one and exercising it would make the extension (and any buyout provision) meaningless. This just offers recruits a perception of stability in the program.

CRISPed in the DIAG

February 16th, 2018 at 4:42 PM ^

"For cause" is tremendously difficult to enforce in any environment.

The Bayor/Art Briles case should be the roadmap if things go that far. The school and Briles apparently settled after Briles claimed wrongful termination, arguing that Bayor was responsible for not complying with Title IX responsibilities.

linky goodness:https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/baylor-has-reportedly-s…

CalifExile

February 17th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^

My point is that the timing of the extension is unrelated to anything else that is going on. When the item showed up on the agenda the Board could either pass it or deny it (in some form, including a delay). Anything other than approval would send a message to recruits that MD might not be coaching them. 

Keep in mind, there isn't anything new about MD. People are starting to talk about holding him accountable for things he has done throughout his tenure. The Board that approved his extension has been complicit in ignoring the lawless culture he allowed on the team. It's not realistic to expect the people who turned blind eyes and cast votes of confidence in MSU's President to do anything other than approve the extension.

That said, I suspect we're in agreement that the entire Board should be ousted and MD and Izzo removed from their coaching jobs.

SlickNick

February 16th, 2018 at 12:59 PM ^

This is without a doubt the time for bold moves from the MSU administration..amazing that they just keep making the wrong bold moves. Continuing to protect the culture they created at all costs. 

Perkis-Size Me

February 16th, 2018 at 1:03 PM ^

He's arguably the best coach they've ever had, who has had a ridiculous level of success against his school's most hated rival. Not to mention the whole conference in general. They'd give him a lifetime contract if they could. 

FauxMo

February 16th, 2018 at 1:14 PM ^

We're living in an age of lowered expectations. "Hey, Coach D did some bad stuff, but he's no Nasser!" It's sort of like how little attention is paid to Stalin's purges, because hey, "at least he was no Hitler..." 

casmooth

February 16th, 2018 at 1:05 PM ^

I suppose this is not all that surprising given the current state of affairs in EL. I wonder if there was a deadline by which to execute this most recent extension or if the decision makers could have potentially postponed the vote.  The optics are certainly not optimal with this news. 

ST3

February 16th, 2018 at 1:07 PM ^

They have only increased MSU's financial liability when he is inevitably forced to resign and take a massive buyout package.

MSU BoT response to ESPN's latest story is a contract extension. I see lifetime contracts in Izzo and Dantonio's future.

Hold This L

February 16th, 2018 at 1:09 PM ^

a show of confidence that they either covered their tracks or there wasn't wrongdoing (not likely), or it is a Hail Mary of all Hail Marys hoping nothing is found indicting d'antoni. Although judging the moral compass of that university, it was probably more of a sacrifice to the dark lord that their sins are not found by those seeking justice. 

Fuck donetonio

Wolverine In Iowa 68

February 16th, 2018 at 1:19 PM ^

I mean, think about it, Penn State still does, and look at what a train wreck they pulled.

 

There might be a slight blip with a few guys (from what I've read there have been some players who said hell no), but in the grand scheme of things, memories are short.  So it might hurt them a bit for a season or two, unless some type of major smoking gun is uncovered, but if the NCAA does their usual job, it likely won't affect them to badly in the long run.

Hold This L

February 16th, 2018 at 1:47 PM ^

They already struggle to bring in decent classes. I'm not gonna get into the whole Lloyd Carr thing, bu tthat no doubt was a huge factor in D'antoni getting better players than they were used to. Narduzzi was MSU. They masqueraded last year as a decent team. They got blown out by ND and OSU and the other two decent teams they played, they got in the rain, where its anyone's game. If those two aren't played in the rain, Michigan and Penn state win easily. Sparty wasn't gonna score in the second half. They were fortunate from a Ty isaac fumble and a horrible holding call on a third down where the drive was extended and they scored. 

They won't be a threat this year. Teams have film on lewerke now and realize he's a below average passer and slightly above average runner. Washington State was playing with the b team and weren't very good to begin with. 

In short, they have been fortunate in recruiting and on the field, and they still haven't achieved elite status in either. I think the well has run dry and even if there are no sanctions, kids who didn't grow up spartans will be deterred from going there because of the reputation that's now associated with it. Unless they resort to Ole Miss and SMU type recruiting, their "success" won't last.

Wolverine In Iowa 68

February 16th, 2018 at 2:37 PM ^

but when you look at the university as a whole, PSU had a football (former) coach who was indicted.  Yes they cleaned house, but the university as a whole was implicated in a cover up, the fan base was in total denial about how bad it was, and the reputation looked, for all intents and purposed, to be destroyed.

Yet they bounced back after a couple of seasons.

 

The MSU situation, as a whole, is about the Gymnastics program first and foremost with Nassar, and the AD office covering it up to protect the reputation of the university.  The culture of the football program is more indirect to the whole (to the national media, and 3rd party bystanders).

My point is, while I'm not saying Dantonio will EVER bounce back to recruiting 4* and 5* guys, I think a year or two of rough times, and he'll be back to where he's been averaging.  Getting a lot of high 2* and middling 3* guys with the occasional 4*, which is what he normally gets most years.

ashwood35

February 16th, 2018 at 7:02 PM ^

I agree with that post to a tee for the most part. However, with the 2 star recruits. We always make these assumptions that msu recruits all these 2 star guys. They have exactly 3 (2) star recruits (247 composite) in the last 6 classes and one of those was a kicker. I have a cousin who went to msu who schooled me on this exact thing so I looked into as a comparison to UM and we have 3 as well in the same 6 year period.

Killewis

February 16th, 2018 at 1:43 PM ^

Am I going insane here? I swear I've kept up to date on most of this news and what has honestly came out about Mark Dantonio besides the two line add-on about an alleged mishandling (That he immediately refuted and ESPN provided nothing to back up) and the fact that football players on his team have recently been charged with sexual assault (and expelled/kicked off the team/jailed). Is he a feared disciplinarian? Certainly not, but he certainly doesn't seem worse than the average CFB coach and I really can't see any potential recruits taking a moral stand over anything that's came out so far.

Yabadabablue

February 16th, 2018 at 1:27 PM ^

MSU appears to trying to save their image rather than finding truth and fixing things. they extend contract of the football coach who is under fire for how he handles his team just  weeks after the AD steps down. to me, it appears this move of confidence is them trying to make him look innocent of the accusations surrounding his program. 

BlueinLansing

February 16th, 2018 at 1:41 PM ^

As the Nasser case was blowing up their board offered a pay raise to President Simons, she graciously turned it down in front of the cameras.

 

Hollis resigned the day the OTL: story aired, now 3 weeks later he takes a stand against it?  There's never been a more transparent effort so clearly guided by a PR firm.

trueblueintexas

February 16th, 2018 at 1:28 PM ^

While this was more of an opperating procedure move, I was surprised by the comment in the article that the board didn't really discuss anything about it prior to approval. Even it if was going to be approved, they probably should have had a pretty good conversation about it.

I think it speaks volumes that MSU has done everything they can to prevent D'Antonio from standing infront of a microphone and reporters since this became public. While I agree it is the right move from their perspective, I still think it shows they do not trust his ability to speak non-defensively about the situation.