Mark Dantonio, 3 other Spartans on CFB Hall of Fame ballot

Former Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio, along with three other Spartans, are on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot.

It’s that time of the year when the College Football Hall of Fame releases its ballot and Mark Dantonio, along with three other Spartans, have made the cut for the 2024 class.

Former MSU coach Mark Dantonio debuts on the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame ballot. OT Flozell Adams and and coach Darryl Rogers also on it again, as is former player Gideon Smith in the divisional coaching category.

— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) June 5, 2023

Dantonio is one of nine coaches on the ballot at the FBS level and Flozell Adams is one of five offensive linemen — he’s joined by former Michigan lineman Steve Hutchinson and the famous Michael Oher from Ole Miss. Four of the five offensive linemen on the ballot are from Big Ten schools. Darryl Rogers joins Dantonio as one of nine coaches and Gideon Smith is one of 32 coaches from the divisional ranks but he was a trailblazing player for the Spartans in 1915.

Many have been clamoring for Adams to make the Hall of Fame for years while Dantonio feels like a surefire selection and he compares favorably to the other coaches on the ballot.

Let’s take a look at his resume compared to the other FBS coaches on the ballot:

• Dantonio: 132-74 career record, 7-6 bowl record, 3 Big Ten titles
• Larry Blakeney: 178-113-1 career record, 2-3 bowl record, 8 conference titles
• Jim Carlen: 107-69-3 career record, 2-5-1 bowl record, 1 SoCon title
• Pete Cawthon Sr.: 98-50-10 career record, 0-2 bowl record, 2 conference titles
• Larry Coker: 86-47 career record, 4-2 bowl record, 1 national title, 3 Big East titles
• Ralph Friedgen: 75-50 career record, 5-2 bowl record, 1 ACC title
• Darryl Rogers: 129-84-7 career record, 1-2 bowl record, 2 conference titles
• Frank Solich: 173-101 career record, 7-9 bowl record, 1 Big 12 title
• Tommy Tuberville: 159-99 career record, 7-6 bowl record, 2 conference titles

Compared to the others, Dantonio has the fourth-most all-time wins, he’s one of four with a winning bowl record, and he is tied for second-most conference titles.

Dantonio is credited for turning around the Michigan State football program after years of irrelevance. Following the departure of Nick Saban before the 2000 Citrus Bowl, Michigan State was a non-factor in the Big Ten. All Dantonio did was lead Michigan State back to the top of the conference and to its first playoff ever. He also won two BCS/New Year’s Six bowls.

This should be a no-brainer.