Dantonio Exit at Michigan State Mirrors Tressel's at OSU

There's considerable irony in the sudden resignation of Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, who had more success against Ohio State during the Urban Meyer era than any other opposing Big Ten football coach.

That's not to say Dantonio dominated or Meyer or even held his own, compiling a 2-5 record in their seven meetings.

But that mark is a bit deceiving in that two of Meyer's wins came by 17-16 scores in East Lansing, and both Dantonio victories ranked among the most painful and costly defeats of the Meyer era.

But Dantonio's history with Ohio State pre-dates Meyer's arrival, and his exit mirrors that of the man who brought him to Columbus, Jim Tressel.

Dantonio worked for Tressel at Youngstown State from 1986-90 and was on Tressel's first staff at OSU upon his hiring in 2001.

"He has trouble with the snap!"

Was this the most memorable moment of the Mark Dantonio era? pic.twitter.com/W93X7Qw3FI
— Michigan State on BTN (@MichiganStOnBTN) February 4, 2020

The Buckeyes won the national title in 2002 with Dantonio as defensive coordinator. He stayed one more season, then left in 2004 to become the head coach at Cincinnati.

Dantonio spent three years there before moving on to MSU, where he remained until his surprise resignation Tuesday afternoon amid the same sort of brewing scandal that felled Tressel at Ohio State in May of 2011.

Tressel was forced out after lying to the NCAA during an investigation into his players' illegalities. That eventually resulted in Tressel receiving a five-year Show Cause penalty from the NCAA and Ohio State getting a bowl ban in Meyer's 12-0 debut season in 2013.

Dantonio will likely land in the NCAA crosshairs because of a lawsuit filed by a former MSU assistant coach alleging numerous illegalities.

Dantonio and Tressel are so close Dantonio referred to Tressel's downfall as, "a tragedy."

It's not surprising the interim coach of the Spartans will be Mike Tressel, Jim Tressel's nephew, who joined Dantonio's staff at Cincinnati in 2004.

He's been with him 16 years, progressing from graduate assistant to defensive coordinator.

If Tressel doesn't get the job permanently, expect Cincinnati's Luke Fickell to be a top candidate, along with Pittsburgh's Pat Narduzzi.

Narduzzi was MSU's defensive coordinator from 2007-2014 before getting his first head coaching job at Pitt.

Fickell worked under Dantonio at Ohio State and has duplicated his career path so far, having spent three seasons with the Bearcats.

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