Former Michigan State head football coach Mark Dantonio has been announced as part of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class.
"I felt very humbled and overwhelmed by the significance of the moment," Dantonio said in a statement. "When I became a head coach, we wanted to build things that would last and have a positive impact on each individual.
"There are so many people involved in this honor. I want to thank my family; my staff and their families and everyone that was a part of this program; the administration; Spartan fans; and most importantly the players. I feel extremely blessed to be included in this 2024 prestigious group.
"There are so many great coaches and people to thank throughout my coaching journey. Jim Tressel brought me to Youngstown State and later Ohio State. Nick Saban brought me to Michigan State, and Bob Goin (former Cincinnati athletic director) hired me for my first head coaching position. My high school coach Ron Apperson and (college position coach) Coach (Dale) Evans at South Carolina gave me the idea that coaching would be a great profession, regardless of the level it would be at. Randy Hart brought me in as a GA at Ohio State, and things took off from there.
"Mark Hollis and Lou Anna Simon hired me back to MSU and were always very supportive; Coach Izzo has just been unbelievable. Tom has been there for me the whole time and I can't thank him enough for everything he has done for me over the years on and off the field.
"There were five things that I always talked about and tried to maintain and build: personal relationships, the importance of an education, a solid work ethic, being a light in the community and winning. Winning comes in many, many forms. We didn't just win on the field. I thought we won with our player development, our people, and our staff. I especially want to thank the players again for all their dedication and hard work that made the success we had as a program possible."
The class will be officially inducted on Dec. 10 at the 66th National Football Foundation (NFF) Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas.
Dantonio joins former Nebraska and Ohio head coach Frank Solich and former West Chester (Pennsylvania) and Bloomsburg (Pennsylvania) coach Danny Hale as the three coaches in the 2024 class.
"Mark Dantonio clearly has the records, the bowl wins, the resume of a Hall of Famer, but for me, his legacy is something even greater," MSU Vice President/Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Alan Haller said in a statement. "Coach D created a lifetime of memories for Spartans around the world, unifying alumni, families and friends throughout the entire Michigan State community around championships, milestones and celebrations. He challenged us to dream beyond what we believed was possible, and proved that dreams do come true."
Dantonio boasts a 64% winning percentage in his head coaching career. He is the all-time winningest coach in Michigan State history (114 wins). Dantonio has won three Big Ten championships, a Rose Bowl and earned a berth in the 2015 College Football Playoff.
He is now the fifth Michigan State head coach to be in the College Football Hall of Fame. He joins fellow former MSU head coaches Clarence "Biggie" Munn (1959), Charles Bachman (1978), Duffy Daugherty (1984) and Frank "Muddy" Waters (2000).
Dantonio is one of seven Big Ten head coaches to have a 10-win season at least six times. He was also named Big Ten Coach of the Year twice (2010 and 2013).
The 2024 class is made up of 19 players and three coaches that were selected from a ballot of 78 players and nine coaches.
Notable names in the class include former Pittsburgh wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, former Marshall wide receiver Randy Moss, former Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, former Utah quarterback Alex Smith and more.
