Michigan State University Athletics
Dantonio Speaks at Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Clinic
1/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio took time on Friday morning to speak for an hour to hundreds of football coaches in the state of Michigan at the 43rd annual Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Clinic at the Lansing Center.
Dantonio presented the basic principles and trademarks of the Spartan football program and what has made it become one of the most successful in the nation during his tenure in East Lansing.
Following his speech, Dantonio took time for interviews with the media in attendance and gave a look ahead to the 2015 season.
"You feel a lot of momentum," Dantonio said, regarding the comeback victory over Baylor in the Cotton Bowl Classic heading into next season. "We're the only football team in America to win a BCS game and a (New Year's Six) game two years in a row, so that's a positive. We need to build on those things and it should give us confidence as a football program as we move into the future, and it should also pay dividends in recruiting."
Fresh off the program's first back-to-back top-five finishes in The Associated Press Poll since 1965-66, Dantonio is already pointing toward next fall.
"I think the next step for this program is to rise to the occasion," he said. "When you look at what we did last year, we played extremely well, but in the two big games we had (Oregon and Ohio State), outside of the bowl game, we needed to play better. We need to be able to finish those things. I think we have that ability, I believe that."
Earlier in the week, Dantonio spent Monday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, as a guest analyst on ESPN for the network's coverage of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, appearing on a variety of shows throughout the day.
"I figured if someone was going to be talking down there, it might as well be Michigan State," Dantonio commented.
But Dantonio also said he didn't stay for the game following his work as an analyst.
"I want to play in that game, I don't want to be a spectator," he remarked.
"You always want to go a little farther. We've been in the top five the past two years (No. 3 in 2013, No. 5 in 2014), and I think that's warranted, and I think that's real. We want to go a little farther, and there's not too many places else to go up. You can go down, but our goal is to climb a little higher."
Following winter conditioning, the Spartans will return to the practice field for spring drills on March 24.
