Mark Dantonio, the winningest coach in Michigan State football history, was officially inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame at the National Football Foundation’s 66th annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday night at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
“It’s a surreal moment and very humbling,” Dantonio said of his induction at a media event hosted by the NFF in Las Vegas on Monday. “It’s what I call a program award. There are so many different people that are involved in this.
“I would like to think the culture (at Michigan State) was built on hard work, built on effort and toughness and knowing what to do, and our guys bought in. Whenever I see our players — and we had a big event surrounding this (Hall of Fame honor) back at Michigan State (on Sept. 27), had about 200 players come back — it’s about people, it’s about growth and individuals. When you find your leaders on the field, and they become leaders on the field and off the field, that’s when you have a great chance to do something special. I’ve continually said all along, it was a special time at Michigan State with special people at a special place.”
Dantonio was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame on Jan. 8, 2024, his first year on the ballot, and the official induction on Tuesday night capped a busy year of accolades for the three-time Big Ten champion coach.
RELATED: Mark Dantonio credits his Michigan State football ‘legacy’ to former players, others
The NFF hosted the Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute on Sept. 28 in Spartan Stadium for the MSU-Ohio State game, and for becoming the latest Spartan in the College Football Hall of Fame, Dantonio’s name was added to the Spartan Stadium Ring of Fame on the east upper deck.
“I hope every one of these players that are here, and everybody that has worked with us closely, sees a little bit of their name up on that award, because I think these are program awards,” said Dantonio at an event honoring him on Sept. 27 at the Izzo Hall of History before former players, staff and administrators. “You don’t get there without a lot of people, and everyone has to be pulling in the right direction and doing their job and be excellent at their job. When we came here, we wanted to build a legacy, and I think that’s what we did as a program.”
Dantonio is also part of the 2024 Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Class and will be inducted at a ceremony held by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses on Dec. 31. He will then open the New Year while being honored in the 136th Rose Parade and on the field during the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game on Jan. 1, 2025. After a storied 13 seasons as head coach of the Michigan State football program, Dantonio announced his retirement on Feb. 4, 2020.
He finished his career with a record of 114-57 (.667) in East Lansing and 132-74 (.641) in 16 seasons overall (2004-19). During his time at the helm of the Spartan program from 2007-19, Dantonio compiled an impressive list of accomplishments, including three Big Ten Championships (2010, 2013, 2015), two victories in the Big Ten Championship Game (2013, 2015), victories in the 2014 Rose Bowl and the 2015 Cotton Bowl, and an appearance in the 2015 College Football Playoff.
— MSU Athletic Communications
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MSU’s Mark Dantonio officially enters College Football Hall of Fame
