Mark Dantonio to join Michigan State Ring of Honor Saturday; Cal Haladay: 'I'm really happy for him'
East Lansing, Mich. – Early Wednesday morning, a green and white plaque bearing Mark Dantonio’s name found itself positioned just below the second deck of an empty Spartan Stadium. In three day’s time, 70,000-plus Michigan State fans will fill the venue to help welcome the former coach into an exclusive club of Spartan football legends.
On Saturday, during Michigan State’s game against Ohio State, Dantonio will become the first person since Lorenzo White (2019) to be inducted into Michigan State’s Ring of Honor.
“It’s really cool,” said Spartan linebacker Cal Haladay, one of seven current players whom Dantonio recruited to Michigan State. “Coach Dantonio, his name’s up in the stadium already, I think. It’s just cool because I was part of the last class he recruited, and I was actually here for a couple weeks before he ended up retiring.”
Dantonio retired in February 2020, months before Haladay’s freshman season at Michigan State. But Dantonio’s return to the program last season as a special assistant to interim head coach Harlon Barnett allowed Haladay a chance to experience what Dantonio was like on the sidelines.
“For him to come back, it was kind of full-circle,” Haladay said. “He came back and was helping out with the team. So that was really cool because I still go to – not play for him, but he was around. It was cool.”
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Since his retirement, Dantonio has regularly attended Spartan football games, both home and away. He most recently traveled to watch Michigan State’s victory over Maryland on Sept. 7.
“He’s been around a lot,” Haladay said. “Like, even in other years, I’ve seen him. He comes to a lot of the games, so it’s cool to talk to him. I still say what’s up to him and talk to him. Like I saw him at Maryland and just talked to him, and he said what’s up to my parents and everything. So it’s a close relationship. I’m really happy for him and everything he’s accomplished.”
Dantonio – Michigan State’s all-time winningest head coach – captured three Big Ten championships during his 13 seasons in East Lansing. The two-time Big Ten coach of the year also led the Spartans to a Rose Bowl victory, a Cotton Bowl victory and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. His teams won 10-plus games in five different seasons.
Dantonio will join Biggie Munn and Duffy Daugherty as the only coaches inducted into Michigan State’s Ring of Honor. Dantonio will also be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this December. He was also named to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame’s 2024 class earlier this month.
