Dantonio To Leave Bearcats For MSU

Bearcat Insider had hoped to never see this day come. But we feel it's safe to say Mark Dantonio has accepted and will become the new head coach at Michigan State on Monday after talking with his team.

Monday morning the University of Cincinnati football team will meet and learn the future of their head coach.  Bearcat Insider has the latest news about the future of the Bearcats program and head coach Mark Dantonio.

Bearcat Insider didn’t want to publish until we were certain of any changes in the UC football program.  As of now we feel it’s safe to publish what many have feared about Bearcats head coach Mark Dantonio. 

After talking with several sources from both camps we’ve learned the following.  Dantonio has meet with MSU and was offered a package too great to pass up.  The coaching profession is one of ups and downs and at this time Mark Dantonio has seen his stock rise to its highest level.  A quality coach and person, Dantonio has shown the ability to run a clean and respectful program to a high level in a major BCS conference.  For these reasons Michigan State came calling after several in the administration were spilt on who to hire for the position vacated by the firing of John L. Smith.

With high graduation rates and the ability to get loyalty from players, parents and staff, Dantonio is left in a tough position of leaving the kids who bought into his vision for the Bearcats program.  Having dealt with Coach Dantonio the past two seasons I can assure you this wasn’t an easy decisions or one taken without much thought.  The farthest thing Coach Dantonio wants to do is hurt the Cincinnati program or the players that remain in it.

As has been reported by other media sources, MSU contacted Cincinnati about speaking with Dantonio last week and permission was granted.  After several conversations it lead to a meeting on Saturday night as a prominent MSU booster flew his private jet to Cincinnati to help entice Dantonio into taking the Spartans head coaching position.

Bearcat Insider contacted Coach Dantonio by phone and his wife Becky said the coach had no comment at this time. This is understandable as Dantonio has not been given the chance to speak with the players he’s coached the past three seasons.

Bearcat Insider will work to have more on the changing developments in and around the Bearcats football program later.