Dantonio: 'We Were Selling Hope ... It's To A Point Now Where We're Selling Results'
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - Before Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio spoke Wednesday about each player who signed with the Spartans on National Signing Day, he reflected on how much differently the school recruits now than it did when Dantonio began his tenure in East Lansing.
"When we came here back in 2007, the reality of the situation was that we were selling hope," Dantonio said in a press conference. "The facilities needed to be adjusted. We hadn't been to a bowl game in a couple years. It's to a point now where we are selling results, and that's the big difference."
The Spartans have won at least 11 games in four of the last five seasons, and the team has won four straight bowl games. Michigan State contended for inclusion in the inaugural college football playoff for much of the 2014 season. The culture and chemistry in the program was strong enough, Dantonio noted, to keep around two of the best players on last year's team, quarterback Connor Cook and defensive end Shilique Calhoun, who could both have gone high in the NFL draft this year.
Michigan State has traditionally been a program that brings in undervalued players and develops them further, but this year the program's recruiting class ranked 22nd in the nation, according to 247Sports.
Dantonio said the change has stemmed mostly from the team's success.
"We have more of a national brand, I think, this year, maybe, than we have in the past," Dantonio said. "Because of our winning, because of what's gone on, I think, nationally, in terms of what we've been able to do, we've been able to capitalize on that in recruiting and build a base not just as a football team in the Midwest and the Big Ten but a little bit more of a national base in terms of what we've done."
Dantonio said another part of the reason for that jump in the ranking of the class is the higher profile of the program.
"What's happening now is we're not sneaking up on anybody, whether it's on the field or in recruiting," Dantonio said. "When Michigan State offers a guy, the immediate thing is, 'Let's go see what that guy's got,' and so we're not sneaking up on anybody anymore, so with that comes some stars, I guess."
As Dantonio talked about each player who signed a letter of intent Wednesday, he remarked with pride that most of the players, once committed, did not allow other schools to continue courting them.
One example Dantonio gave was running back L.J. Scott.
"Most noticeable thing I got is he stayed the course," Dantonio said. "When he gave us his commitment, I think it was in July, he maintained that commitment throughout the entire process and never wavered. When there were a lot of people that tried to knock on the door, he never wavered once, and I think that speaks to the credibility of not only him but the credibility of our entire class. We don't lose many committed guys. Never have."
Dantonio said he feels that honoring a commitment speaks to a player's character, and he values high-character individuals.
"I just believe you win with people," Dantonio said. "I guess that's the message here. You win with people. At some point in time, you find out the truth about people through the process, and they either add to your chemistry or they subtract from your chemistry. In this case, I think all of our guys are adding to this chemistry."
The weeks leading up to National Signing Day can be a high-stress time for coaches, but Dantonio said that for him the process was relatively calm, and he said the lack of last-minute coaxing showed the Spartans have a culture that people want to partake in.
"We've gone after most of the players we've wanted; we've gotten most of them," Dantonio said. "When you're looking at guys that you offered early in the recruiting process last year in the spring and you've been able to get those guys, it's a great recruiting class. The fact that we don't have to rally back and come back on guys at the end of recruiting is a very, very good sign, and we haven't had to do that.
"I went for a run this afternoon because I wasn't worried about anything," Dantonio added. "No drama. It was nice. And that's the way our guys have done it here."