REPORT: Michigan football has not seen the last of Mark Dantonio

This afternoon, amidst a university-led investigation into Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker (4th-year), the Spartans opted to suspend their head coach. Because of this, just two games into the 2023 season, MSU needs some new faces to step up. For the remainder of the year, assistant coach Harlon Barnett will be acting as interim head coach — additionally, ex-coach Mark Dantonio, who haunted Michigan football for years, will reportedly be returning to assist in an undefined role.

NOTE: Conflicting reports state that Mel Tucker has not been fired yet, and is only suspended until the end of the Title IX investigation.

Mark Dantonio expected to return to Michigan State football

Last night, news broke of a university-based investigation into 4th-year Michigan State football head coach Mel Tucker, who was accused of sexual harassment. Since those initial reports — which surfaced late in the night following Michigan State’s win over Richmond — Mel Tucker has reportedly been suspended.

Now, this in-state rival of Michigan football must find a way to rally with 10 more games on the 2023 slate. According to reports from Brett McMurphy of The Action Network, Michigan State football is bringing back a familiar face to help guide the program through its tough times: Mark Dantonio.

Michigan football is yet to see the last of this Spartan legend

Dantonio, who famously put Michigan State football back on the map around two decades ago, was a nightmare for Michigan Wolverines football for a number of years, though ultimately retired with a losing record against Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. Dantonio’s final game against the Wolverines was in 2019 when Michigan blew out Michigan State by a score of 44-10 — the most one-sided game that the rivalry had seen in a number of years.

That said, it sounds like the Wolverines have not seen the last of Dantonio. While he is not returning as a head coach, it has been reported that he will likely have a role with the Spartans this year as they look to right the ship and figure out a very messy situation.

Dantonio left Michigan State after the 2019 season with an impressive 114-57 overall record, including multiple Big Ten titles, a College Football Playoff appearance (2015), and more. Michigan football will be facing Michigan State under the lights in East Lansing later this fall — the game is currently slated for October 21st.

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