Coaching Perspective – Michigan State

I love history and, obviously, I love college football.  So in a way to combine my two passions I thought it would be fun to rank the coaches of each school in terms of their success at that institution.  In the wake of the recent string of great seasons in East Lansing, I thought I’d kick things off by looking at how Mark Dantonio stacks up with some of the greats who have stomped the sideline at Michigan State.

Not In Consideration (Alphabetical)

• Albert Barron: 1921-1922, 6-10-2

Only coached three season (Temple for one) before becoming a high school AD and stayed in that district the rest of his professional life.

• Charles Bemies: 1899-1900, 3-10-1

After football became a pastor, prohibitionist, army chaplain and a noted evangelist.

• George Clark: 1920, 4-6

Left to coach Kansas where (unsurprisingly) he had a losing record.

• Jim Crowley: 1929-1932, 22-8-3

Left for Fordham where he guided the Rams to six seasons ranked in the final poll and a Sugar Bowl victory in 1941.  Also a famous player as one of the “Four Horseman” while at Notre Dame.  Was inducted into the CFB Hall of Fame in the 1960s.

• George Denman: 1901-1902, 7-9-1

Had better luck in basketball going 11-0.  Eventually left the school to be a professor at another university and later a headmaster at another school.

• George Gauthier: 1918, 4-3

Knocked off Knute Rockney’s Notre Dame team.  Coached hoops until 1920 where he left to go to Ohio Wesleyan.  He served as football coach and AD there for the next 26 years.  In 1928 his Bulldogs upset Michigan in the very first game at the Big House.  Maybe MSU should build him a statue for that blemish to their rival.

• Henry Keep: 1897-1898, 8-5-1

Coached the team as a student and will always have the claim to being the first coach in program history.

• Harry Kipke: 1928, 3-4-1

Easily the most hated person in East Lansing.  The former Wolverine went back to his old school after the lone season in East Lansing and went on to win 4 Big Ten titles and 2 national titles with the Maize and Blue.

• Darryl Rogers: 1976-1979, 24-18-2 (19-12-1)

Won a co-championship in 1978 but bolted for Arizona State where he would eventually win a Fiesta Bowl.  Later returned to the state with a disastrous stint as the Detroit Lions coach.

• John L. Smith: 2003-2006, 22-26 (12-20)

One of the most colorful characters out there with quotes like “the kids are playing their tail off, and the coaches are screwing it up!”  Had great success at Idaho and Louisville before MSU and is currently at Fort Lewis as the head coach.

• Dutch Sommer: 1916, 4-2-1

Despite playing at then power-house Penn, Sommer didn’t stick with the game much after playing.  He graduated from Penn as a lawyer.

• Denny Stolz: 1973-1975, 19-13-1 (14-9-1)

Won conference titles at every school he was at but MSU.  Was Big Ten COY in 1974.  Had his most success at Bowling Green (1977-85).

• Muddy Waters: 1980-1982, 10-23 (8-18)

A CFB Hall of Famer thanks to an insane stretch at Hillsdale from 1954-1973.  Had the bad luck at coaching MSU when they were on probation.

• Morris Watts: 2002, 1-2 (1-2)

Coached the final three games after (see below) was fired.  Has bounced around a bit as an OC and QB coach but has been at Central Michigan since 2011.

• Bobby Williams: 1999-2002, 16-17 (6-15)

Coached the bowl game in 1999 and then fired after 9 games in 2002.  Williams has had his best success as a member of Saban’s staff coaching positions and not coordinating or being a head coach.

• Ralph H. Young: 1923-1927, 18-22-1

Gave up coaching duties in ’27 to focus on being the MSU athletic director.  A job he held until 1954 where he made a fantastic hire (see below).  Also served in the Michigan Legislature for three terms.

Did Not Place (8th to 5th)

• John Macklin: 1911-1915, 29-5

According to the AP when they honored him in 1949, the program was receiving $200 to play football when he was hired and when he left they were making $10,000 as he grew the program.  The stadium was named after him until the 50s when it was switched to Spartan Stadium.  Also racially integrated the team in 1913 and had victories over OSU, Michigan, Wisconsin and Penn State – all firsts for the program.

• Nick Saban: 1995-1999, 34-24-1 (23-16-1)

Took over at a turbulent time but turned things around making 4 bowl games in 5 years but ruined all the good will and a budding program to go to LSU.  One of the great ‘what-if’ scenarios to think about.

• George Perles: 1983-1994, 73-62-4 (58-37-2)

The highs were great with two Big Ten titles in 87 and 90 and 7 bowl appearances, including winning the Rose to finish 8th in the nation in 1987 but the end was rough.  Although the NCAA cleared Perles of any wrongdoing the ‘lack of institutional control’ penalty was tagged on the Spartans and ultimately led to the sanctions Saban had to deal with.  With sanctions his official mark is 68-67-4 (53-42-2).

• Charlie Bachman: 1933-1946, 70-34-10

Guided MSU to their first bowl game in program history in 1937.  Defeated Michigan 4 times after a run of 18 straight years the Wolverines won the rivalry game.  Strangely they had a very different look during his tenure.

• Chester Brewer: 1903-1910, 1917, 1919, 60-23-7

After a string of terrible seasons from their inaugural season on Brewer got Michigan Agricultural on the map.  He won two Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles, the first league championships for the school, and boasted three 8 or more win seasons in an era where they played very few games.  Never lost more than twice in a season during the amazing 03-10 run.

Bronze Medal:

Mark Dantonio: 2007-present, 75-31 (45-19)

Dantonio boasts four 11 win seasons, including the 13-1 (8-0) gem in 2013.  He has guided the Spartans to a bowl in every season and is now 4-4 in those games after an 0-4 start.  Included in those bowl wins is a Rose Bowl.  He also has two conference titles to his credit.  One of the few MSU coaches to achieve multiple league crowns.  More importantly, he helped stabilize the program after mixed success since the mid 90s when the program had some violations.

Silver Medal:

Duffy Daugherty: 1954-1972, 109-69-5 (72-50-3)

In nearly two decades as the head coach, the Spartans finished ranked in the polls 10 times and never lower than 20th.  Until 1966 when the season was only 9 games long he won six or more games eight times.  National champions in 1965 and co-champions in 1966.  They also finished 2nd in the polls in 1955, the year he won his Rose Bowl.  Tied Notre Dame in a #1 versus #2 game dubbed “The Game of the Century.”  He was inducted in to the Hall of Fame in the 80s, won a national COY award in 55 and beat Notre Dame 8 straight at one point.  Despite the highs there were some lows.  After the title in 66 he only had one winning record going 6-5 in 1971.  Undoubtedly a great coach but yet, there was one man even more fearsome while leading the Spartans than Duffy.

Gold Medal:

Clarence Munn: 1947-1953, 54-9-2 (5-1)

A surprising win, maybe…you be the judge.  Munn guided the transition from independent to the Big Ten by making MSU a national power.  Won the national title in 1952 with a 9-0 mark.  They would finish 2nd in the nation the year before with an identical record. The 1953 season was also magical.  That was their first year in the league and they finished third in the nation with a 9-1 record and a Rose Bowl victory.  Became the athletic director after the 53 season (when Ralph Young retired) and hired his assistant, Duffy Daugherty, to replace him.  Only coach to beat Frank Leahy three times in a row.  Developed the “Wingback Deep” formation and had the first black quarterback in Big Ten history.  Last but certainly not least, CFB Hall of Fame inductee in 1959.  His tenure may have been short but his impact was lasting and had he not become an administrator, it is safe to say he would have at least matched the success of Duffy if not surpassed it.