Dantonio to SC?

Dantonio is a rare case of a coach who would be a bad fit at his own alma mater. He's never coached outside of the Midwest, and his recruiting ties to the South are limited. His playing days at South Carolina were so long ago that he would be a fish out of water there.

Also, MSU to South Carolina is a lateral move at best. He might be a candidate for the "other" USC if he wasn't almost 60 years old.  

He could work in the SEC, especially at a place like USC where they have a built-in rivalry with Clemson.  At USC, he'd be eaten alive.  That's a super high-profile position that is as much personality as it is coaching.

Posted this on another board, but:

Your alma mater is your alma mater, but there's good reason to think that Dantonio wouldn't seriously consider going back to SC. He has coached his entire career in the Midwest. He built a program to respectability at Michigan State. He would have to do something similar at South Carolina, a program that has been periodically good, but traditionally lagging behind Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee in the SEC East and other as far as the conference as a whole. Going to South Carolina will be a stressful job. Not necessarily in terms of the fan base, but in terms of the work he'd have to put in. Dantonio has had health issues. I just feel like he has done a great job at Michigan State and it's his program that he built. He has great support from the AD, Mark Hollis, who was integral in making sure they kept Narduzzi as long as they did. State actually pays their assistants better than most schools. Dantonio has support there and I don't see a reason for him to leave.

I just don't think it makes sense.

fear the Harbaugh! I could see Dantonio leaving after Saturday's beat down and I can see Urban taking a medical retirement than resurfacing at USC in a few years.

I can't imagine his dour, sour-faced, stations-of-the-cross persona going over in Los Angeles at all. There is zero chance of that. South Carolina, perennially second-fiddle to Clemson, and final destination to two other hall of fame coaches, is more plausible. After Connor Cook, Dantonio will have to face a revamped Michigan, and Urban Meyer, every single year.

Equally plausible is Brian Kelly taking an NFL job, or perhaps the USC (Trojans) job, leaving the ND position open. Dantonio is perfect for Notre Dame. He could turn them into a more talented version of his 2013 team. And his messianistic leanings would play to the passions of the ND faithful.  

I really hope he stays at MSU. 

Why the hell would he leave MSU for USCe? He has a good team and program right now and is near the top of the league. If he were to go to USCe, he'd be a middle of the pack program and quite frankly, he isn't exactly a young man. He is currently 59 and I don't think he would want to have to start all over at his age. 

Besides, the selfish part of me wants Harbaugh to run him out of East Lansing in five years.

He IS MSU football by now, and will retire that way.

he will leave - he is not going to take kindly to being #2 in the state of Michigan again....that is obviously becoming the case.

as the beating by haubaugh and urban become annually. i can smell a total meltdown.

The administration at MSU needs Dantonio to continue to fill their stadium. LOL

that Dantonio will be a candidate South Carolina contacts, and I wouldn't doubt Dantonio will sit and talk with them.  This mans allegiances run deep, I'm sure his alma mater has a soft spot in his heart.

I do not believe however that Dantonio will take this job.  He is ingrained in the Michigan State culture, his life he and his family have built is in East Lansing.  He is 60 now and re-establishing a great program in the middle of what I'm sure he considers on unfinished job in EL is probably not that appealing.

Dantonio will be a candidate both publicly and privately, it will be spun as a difficult decision and Dantonio will walk away with a large contract extention to finish his career at Michigan State.

Here's why he wouldn't do this:

1. He likes being the disrespeected underdog and he can't be that at USC.

2. He's smart enough to look at the Bielema tire fire and appreciate what he's got where he is.

The only reason I can see him leaving is for a huge pile of money.

If he's a rational man and wants to maximize his value, he'd take his I-built-something-decent-while-UofM-and-tOSU-were-not-decent act on the road and get paid now.