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Michigan State Football: 6 potential replacements for Mark Dantonio

By Michael Hanich

MADISON, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 12: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans takes the field with his team prior to a game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MADISON, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 12: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans takes the field with his team prior to a game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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CLEMSON, SC – SEPTEMBER 10: Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables of the Clemson Tigers calls out a play during the game against the Troy Trojans at Memorial Stadium on September 10, 2016 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Tyler Smith/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SC – SEPTEMBER 10: Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables of the Clemson Tigers calls out a play during the game against the Troy Trojans at Memorial Stadium on September 10, 2016 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Tyler Smith/Getty Images) /

4. Brent Venables, DC at Clemson

For years, Brent Venables has been one of the hottest college football assistants that many teams wanted to be their head coach. He has been a defensive coordinator for a national championship team for both Oklahoma (1999-2011) and Clemson (2012-present). He has won three national championships as the defensive coordinator including two in the last four seasons at Clemson.

Venables has gotten the Tigers defense to be ranked in the top 10 in points allowed per game in four of the last five seasons.

This past season, the Tigers had the third-ranked scoring defense (13.5 points allowed per game) in the nation. In the 2018 season when the Tigers won the College Football Playoff National Championship, the Tigers had the top-ranked scoring defense (13.1).

Venables is a coach that takes control of his defense in every area of the game and displays tough but fair emotions. He has been turning down head coaching jobs because he doesn’t feel that are worth leaving a championship-winning program.

Michigan State is known for its high-caliber building of defenses and defensive players. If there is a job, outside of head coach for the Clemson Tigers, that could woo away Venables as their head coach, it would be Michigan State.

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