Mark Dantonio Receives Heart of a Champion Award at Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards Ceremony
1/12/2023 11:07:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Mark Dantonio, the winningest coach in Michigan State football history, was presented the 2023 Heart of a Champion Award at the American Heart Association's Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards Ceremony on Wednesday night in Houston.
The award, presented by St. Luke's Health, recognizes an individual in the world of college football whose notable contributions and positive influence have helped define the ways we enjoy, watch and engage in sports, and whose life is exemplary of a champion through the display of characteristics for which Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant was known, such as integrity, perseverance, determination, and grit.
Previous winners of the Heart of a Champion Award include Lee Corso (2020), Sylvester Croom (2021) and David Shaw (2022).
"2022 has been a humbling year for me and my family, and it is a privilege to receive the Heart of a Champion Award," said Dantonio upon learning of the recognition this past October. "Receiving an award named after one of football's legendary coaches is one of my greatest honors. College football has evolved and will continue to evolve over time, but the legacies of the coaches that have come before me have left a lasting impact."
In June 2022, Dantonio was inducted in the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.
Dantonio was named the Gene Stallings Coach of the Year following the 2015 season and was previously a two-time finalist for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards Coach of the Year.
A LOOK AT DANTONIO'S CAREER
After a storied 13 seasons as head coach of the Michigan State football program, Mark Dantonio retired as the winningest coach in Spartan history on Feb. 4, 2020.
Dantonio finished his career with a record of 114-57 (.667) in East Lansing and 132-74 (.641) in 16 seasons overall. During his time at the helm of the Spartan program, Dantonio compiled an impressive list of accomplishments, including three Big Ten Championships, two victories in the Big Ten Championship Game, victories in the 2014 Rose Bowl and the 2015 Cotton Bowl, and an appearance in the 2015 College Football Playoff.
Beyond his record for most victories at MSU, Dantonio won more Big Ten Championships (three) and bowl games (six) than any other coach in school history, while also ranking first with 12 bowl appearances. His .639 (69-39) winning percentage in Big Ten games is a school record, while he stands tied for first in AP Top 25 finishes (seven) and second in Big Ten wins (69), home wins (67) and AP Top 25 wins (21).
Dantonio's tenure also placed him among the best football coaches in Big Ten history. He retired as one of just seven Big Ten coaches to have at least six 10-win seasons on their resume (Bo Schembechler, Michigan; Jim Tressel, Ohio State; Joe Paterno, Penn State; Lloyd Carr, Michigan; Urban Meyer, Ohio State; Kirk Ferentz, Iowa) and one of four to have at least five 11-win seasons (Tressel, Paterno, Meyer). Dantonio finished his career ranked No. 11 in the Big Ten record books in both overall wins (114) and Big Ten wins (69). With MSU's win in the 2019 Pinstripe Bowl, Dantonio secured his sixth bowl victory, tying him for fourth most in Big Ten history.
A two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2010, 2013), Dantonio led Michigan State to Top 25 finishes seven times (2008: No. 24 in both polls; 2010: No. 14 in both polls; 2011: No. 10 USA TODAY/No. 11 AP; 2013: No. 3 in both polls; 2014: No. 5 in both polls; 2015: No. 6 in both polls; 2017: No. 15 AP/No. 16 USA TODAY). Dantonio's seven AP Top-25 finishes tied for first in school history (Duffy Daugherty's teams posted seven Top-25 finishes during his 19-year tenure from 1954-72). MSU was the only school to finish in the top-six of the national polls from 2013-15 (No. 3 in 2013, No. 5 in 2014, No. 6 in 2015) and the 36 wins from 2013-15 marked the winningest three-year stretch in the history of the program.
The 2010s decade was the greatest in Michigan State history based on total wins, as the Spartans posted a 92-40 (.697) record from 2010-19. During that span, MSU won six bowl games (2012 Outback, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings, 2014 Rose, 2015 Cotton, 2017 Holiday, 2019 Pinstripe), three Big Ten Championships (2010, 2013, 2015) and three Big Ten Division titles (2011, 2013, 2015). The 92 wins were the seventh-most ever by any Big Ten team in a decade and the six bowl wins tied for second most by any Big Ten program in a decade.
Dantonio made history by becoming the first Big Ten coach to record five 11-win seasons in a six-year span following MSU's 12-win campaign in 2015 (11 in 2010; 11 in 2011; school-record 13 in 2013; 11 in 2014; 12 in 2015). His five 11-win seasons were tied for third most in Big Ten history during the time of his retirement. Prior to Dantonio's arrival, MSU had not recorded an 11-win season in its history, and had just two 10-win seasons (1965, 1999).
Michigan State played in a school-record nine consecutive bowl games from 2007-15 (2007 Champs Sports Bowl, 2009 Capital One Bowl, 2010 Alamo Bowl, 2011 Capital One Bowl, 2012 Outback Bowl, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, 2014 Rose Bowl, 2015 Cotton Bowl, 2015 College Football Playoff Semifinal at Cotton Bowl). Dantonio extended his school record with his 12th bowl game appearance in 2019 in the Pinstripe Bowl; he finished 6-6 in bowl games at Michigan State, including a school-record four-game winning streak (2012 Outback, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings, 2014 Rose, 2015 Cotton).
Dantonio won his 110th game as head coach at Michigan State with a 31-10 victory over Northwestern on Sept. 21, 2019, surpassing Hall of Fame Coach Duffy Daugherty for the most wins in school history. Dantonio had 11 winning seasons in his 13 years in East Lansing, tying Daugherty for the most winning seasons by a Spartan head coach.
A Zanesville, Ohio, native with Midwest ties, Dantonio spent 40 years in collegiate coaching, including 16 seasons as a head coach (three at Cincinnati from 2004-06; 13 at Michigan State from 2007-19) and 19 seasons overall in East Lansing (served as the Spartan secondary coach from 1995-2000).
From the moment he stepped on campus, Dantonio was equally committed to success in the classroom. In his 13 seasons, a total of 238 players earned their undergraduate degrees. In addition, 219 Spartans earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, including nine Academic All-America selections.
The award, presented by St. Luke's Health, recognizes an individual in the world of college football whose notable contributions and positive influence have helped define the ways we enjoy, watch and engage in sports, and whose life is exemplary of a champion through the display of characteristics for which Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant was known, such as integrity, perseverance, determination, and grit.
Previous winners of the Heart of a Champion Award include Lee Corso (2020), Sylvester Croom (2021) and David Shaw (2022).
"2022 has been a humbling year for me and my family, and it is a privilege to receive the Heart of a Champion Award," said Dantonio upon learning of the recognition this past October. "Receiving an award named after one of football's legendary coaches is one of my greatest honors. College football has evolved and will continue to evolve over time, but the legacies of the coaches that have come before me have left a lasting impact."
In June 2022, Dantonio was inducted in the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.
Dantonio was named the Gene Stallings Coach of the Year following the 2015 season and was previously a two-time finalist for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards Coach of the Year.
A LOOK AT DANTONIO'S CAREER
After a storied 13 seasons as head coach of the Michigan State football program, Mark Dantonio retired as the winningest coach in Spartan history on Feb. 4, 2020.
Dantonio finished his career with a record of 114-57 (.667) in East Lansing and 132-74 (.641) in 16 seasons overall. During his time at the helm of the Spartan program, Dantonio compiled an impressive list of accomplishments, including three Big Ten Championships, two victories in the Big Ten Championship Game, victories in the 2014 Rose Bowl and the 2015 Cotton Bowl, and an appearance in the 2015 College Football Playoff.
Beyond his record for most victories at MSU, Dantonio won more Big Ten Championships (three) and bowl games (six) than any other coach in school history, while also ranking first with 12 bowl appearances. His .639 (69-39) winning percentage in Big Ten games is a school record, while he stands tied for first in AP Top 25 finishes (seven) and second in Big Ten wins (69), home wins (67) and AP Top 25 wins (21).
Dantonio's tenure also placed him among the best football coaches in Big Ten history. He retired as one of just seven Big Ten coaches to have at least six 10-win seasons on their resume (Bo Schembechler, Michigan; Jim Tressel, Ohio State; Joe Paterno, Penn State; Lloyd Carr, Michigan; Urban Meyer, Ohio State; Kirk Ferentz, Iowa) and one of four to have at least five 11-win seasons (Tressel, Paterno, Meyer). Dantonio finished his career ranked No. 11 in the Big Ten record books in both overall wins (114) and Big Ten wins (69). With MSU's win in the 2019 Pinstripe Bowl, Dantonio secured his sixth bowl victory, tying him for fourth most in Big Ten history.
A two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2010, 2013), Dantonio led Michigan State to Top 25 finishes seven times (2008: No. 24 in both polls; 2010: No. 14 in both polls; 2011: No. 10 USA TODAY/No. 11 AP; 2013: No. 3 in both polls; 2014: No. 5 in both polls; 2015: No. 6 in both polls; 2017: No. 15 AP/No. 16 USA TODAY). Dantonio's seven AP Top-25 finishes tied for first in school history (Duffy Daugherty's teams posted seven Top-25 finishes during his 19-year tenure from 1954-72). MSU was the only school to finish in the top-six of the national polls from 2013-15 (No. 3 in 2013, No. 5 in 2014, No. 6 in 2015) and the 36 wins from 2013-15 marked the winningest three-year stretch in the history of the program.
The 2010s decade was the greatest in Michigan State history based on total wins, as the Spartans posted a 92-40 (.697) record from 2010-19. During that span, MSU won six bowl games (2012 Outback, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings, 2014 Rose, 2015 Cotton, 2017 Holiday, 2019 Pinstripe), three Big Ten Championships (2010, 2013, 2015) and three Big Ten Division titles (2011, 2013, 2015). The 92 wins were the seventh-most ever by any Big Ten team in a decade and the six bowl wins tied for second most by any Big Ten program in a decade.
Dantonio made history by becoming the first Big Ten coach to record five 11-win seasons in a six-year span following MSU's 12-win campaign in 2015 (11 in 2010; 11 in 2011; school-record 13 in 2013; 11 in 2014; 12 in 2015). His five 11-win seasons were tied for third most in Big Ten history during the time of his retirement. Prior to Dantonio's arrival, MSU had not recorded an 11-win season in its history, and had just two 10-win seasons (1965, 1999).
Michigan State played in a school-record nine consecutive bowl games from 2007-15 (2007 Champs Sports Bowl, 2009 Capital One Bowl, 2010 Alamo Bowl, 2011 Capital One Bowl, 2012 Outback Bowl, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, 2014 Rose Bowl, 2015 Cotton Bowl, 2015 College Football Playoff Semifinal at Cotton Bowl). Dantonio extended his school record with his 12th bowl game appearance in 2019 in the Pinstripe Bowl; he finished 6-6 in bowl games at Michigan State, including a school-record four-game winning streak (2012 Outback, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings, 2014 Rose, 2015 Cotton).
Dantonio won his 110th game as head coach at Michigan State with a 31-10 victory over Northwestern on Sept. 21, 2019, surpassing Hall of Fame Coach Duffy Daugherty for the most wins in school history. Dantonio had 11 winning seasons in his 13 years in East Lansing, tying Daugherty for the most winning seasons by a Spartan head coach.
A Zanesville, Ohio, native with Midwest ties, Dantonio spent 40 years in collegiate coaching, including 16 seasons as a head coach (three at Cincinnati from 2004-06; 13 at Michigan State from 2007-19) and 19 seasons overall in East Lansing (served as the Spartan secondary coach from 1995-2000).
From the moment he stepped on campus, Dantonio was equally committed to success in the classroom. In his 13 seasons, a total of 238 players earned their undergraduate degrees. In addition, 219 Spartans earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, including nine Academic All-America selections.
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