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Michigan State Preparing to Hire New Coach

Cincinnati`s own Mark Dantonio is close to being hired by Michigan State. One of the team`s officials told reporters that Lou Anna Simon, Michigan State University President, recommended the hiring of Dantonio to the university`s board of trustees. The news has yet to become official and will be reported once the decision is finally made.

This has been Dantonio`s third year as Cincinnati`s head coach, holding an 18-17 record, as well as, 7-5 mark during this season. Other candidates for the position were: Todd Grantham, Cleveland Brown`s defensive coordinator, Brian Kelly, Central Michigan`s coach, Pat Shurmur, Philadelphia Eagles` assistant, and Charlie Baggett, Miami Dolphins` assistant. The decision to go with Dantonio is probably due to the fact that he has already been assistant coach at Michigan State between 1995 and 2000, as well as, his experience as head coach at Cincinnati. Dantonio has been defensive coordinator for Ohio State for three consecutive seasons and assistant coach at Kansas, Akron, Ohio and Youngstown State.

Dantonio, who is native to Zanesville, Ohio, could assist Michigan State in recruiting new talent from the talent-rich state of Ohio. He, himself got his first big break at Ohio State, where he was hired by Earle Bruce back in 1983 and also a defensive coordinator at Youngstown State under Jim Tressel. Dantonio, who arrived to the Bearcats in December 2003, is the first coach in the schools history to win a seven wins in his first year, including beating Marshall at the Fort Worth Bowl.