Saturday, the Spartans got pummeled 44-10 by Michigan, an interstate rival the Spartans have essentially dominated for the better part of the past decade.

Give Michigan credit…but not too much credit…because they’re not a complete football team. After all, Michigan struggled to beat Army, got pummeled by Wisconsin 35-14, rank #3 Big Ten East, rank #4 Big Ten overall, and Michigan haven’t won a Big Ten title since 2004.

Moreover, Michigan only posted 83 Yards Rushing and committed 9 penalties for 91 Yards vs the Spartans, so Michigan is not in the same category as Clemson, Alabama or Ohio State, and yet they dragged the Spartans all over their football pitch on Saturday.

Prior to the game, there were hopes the Spartans could replicate their Offensive performance vs Illinois from one week prior, whereby the Spartans compiled 526 Yards of Offense and pounded out 275 Yards Rushing, but those hopes faded fast. The Spartans compiled just 166 Yards Passing and just 54 Yards Rushing, while yielding 467 Yards and 44 Points.

Mistakes abounded and the Spartans coaching staff seem unable to correct course.

Trending into most unpleasant eras of Spartan Football:

There were an abundance of “untimely and undisciplined” penalties, blown coverages, overthrown footballs and missed receivers, interceptions, dropped footballs, an inability to run the football, an inability to convert 3^rd Downs (2 of 13 or 15%)…an inability to stop Michigan from converting 3^rd Downs (8 of 13 or 62%). Fundamentals were conspicuously missing: it could nearly be described as dysfunctional football.

Yes there are injuries, but injuries are part of the game.

This wasn’t just a loss. This loss underscores a troubling trend of regressing into the most unpleasant eras of Spartan Football. The Spartans have lost 5 consecutive Big Ten Football games and their Big Ten record is a dreadful 2 wins and 5 losses. But, the bitter issue is that it has been trending badly for the past 4 years.

A bit of a retrospective. In Mark Dantonio’s first 3 seasons (2007-2009), as the Spartans were climbing out of a hole dug by 2 previous coaching administrations the Spartans posted a respectable Big Ten record of 13-11 (54%). Yet once the “Mark Dantonio System” was implemented, then from 2010 to 2015, the Spartans posted an incredibly impressive Big Ten record of 39-9 (81%) including 3 Big Ten titles, 4 Bowl victories, and a trip to the College Football playoff. But then, something went horribly wrong.

For some inexplicable reason, regression set in and the trend over the past 4 seasons is beyond troubling. Since the start of the 2016 season the Spartans have posted a dysfunctional Big Ten record of 15-19 (44%). Here is a retrospective of Mark Dantonio’s Big Ten tenure in 3 segments since 2007:

Mark Dantonio Big Ten record in 3 segments:

• 2007-2009: 13-11 (54%)
• 2010-2015: 39-9 (81%)
• 2016-2019: 15-19 (44%)*

• • • • Two games remain in the 2019 Big Ten season and a winning Big Ten record cannot be achieved.

Against the best of the Big Ten East, the Spartans have posted a cumulative record of 3-9 (25%) in the past 4 seasons vs Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State.

Not only is the regression of Spartan Football problematic, but the decline over the past 4 seasons places it into the dreaded category of losing records posted at the end of careers of Hugh “Duffy Daugherty, Bobby Williams, John L Smith and Frank “Muddy” Waters. Take a look:

Spartan Football Coaches & losing Big Ten records:

• Daugherty, 1967-1972: 20-23-1 (45%)
• Williams, 2000-2002: 7-17 (29.2%)
• Smith, 2003-2006: 17-23 (42.5%)
• Waters, 1980-1982: 8-18 (30.8%)

The numbers are self-evident, and with respect to the great accomplishments of Duffy Daugherty, it would be fair to say none of the coaches cited above were warmly embraced at the end of their careers in East Lansing.

Hannah and Munn set the standard…

In the halcyon days of the 1950’s & 1960’s whereby the Spartans won or shared an unprecedented 6 National Titles in the span of 15 years (1951-1966), Spartan Football was blessed by “hands on” guidance of John Hannah, the legendary modern architect of Michigan State University, the man who single handedly made Michigan State Football a Championship symbol of the University.

To accomplish Hannah’s mission, he hired Clarence “Biggie” Munn in 1947 to become architect and Head Coach of Michigan State Football and in 5 short years, Munn won “back to back” National Titles in 1951 & 1952, and then Munn committed his architectural brilliance to overseeing 4 more National Titles as AD including 1955, 1957, 1965 and 1966.

Munn hired amongst the best assistant coaches in the land, and Michigan State was considered the “cradle of coaches” in those years. Munn’s staff included legendary Bob Devaney, Dan Devine and Forest Evasheski to name a few, all of whom distinguished themselves as highly successful Head Football Coaches in their own right, with Devaney and Devine winning National Titles.

Thereafter, Daugherty’s staff included Franks Kush, Bill Yeoman, Hank Bullough and Sonny Grandelius, all of whom went on to distinguish themselves as Head Football Coaches as well. I’ll leave it to someone else to answer, but does the Spartans current staff of assistant coaches measure up to championship standards of the past?

Who is going to oversee a review of football operations?

When the season concludes, who is going to oversee a total review of football operations?

After all, the numbers are self-evident and the decline is obvious, but who will oversee a total review of Spartan Football operations? Samuel Stanley, the new President of Michigan State University? What is his plan? Bill Beekman the current AD? What is his plan?

The numbers speak for themselves, so waiting and watching as the ship cruises off course in not a plan! So what is the plan of the President and AD?

Here is a short list of “key” issues that require coherent explanations:

• What is primarily responsible for sub-standard performance since 2015?
• What are the definitive findings as it relates to a review of each position group?
• Is there a coherent plan to implement fixes and adjust course?
• Should Mark Dantonio tear apart his assistant coaching staff and start over?
• Does Mark Dantonio need a new recruiting coordinator?
• Given the circumstances, can Mark Dantonio reverse course and compete for Big Ten Championship within 3 years?
• Given the information gathered in a post season review, should Michigan State keep/replace Mark Dantonio?

We heard Bill Beekman make a definitive statement that Mark Dantonio will not be fired? Fair enough, but does Bill Beekman have answers to the preceding questions? An AD or President shouldn’t make such a calculated and definitive statement unless they have coherent answers to the short list of issues cited above. And the preceding is just a short list.

Let’s look at recruiting.

Needless to say, recruiting is the lifeblood of college football and by every single measure, recruiting is faltering. The last 3 recruiting classes (2017 – 2019) were ranked in order 36, 31 and 32 or an average rank of #33. The current recruiting class is ranked #44. Let’s make this clear, developing players is one thing, working miracles is another. Big Ten Championships and National Championships aren’t built upon a foundation of recruiting classes ranked #30 or higher.

As it relates to the 2020 recruiting class, not a single player is ranked amongst the Top 100 at their respective positions. So, how do you compete with the Top 10 teams in the country, if the players you recruit don’t rank in the Top 100?

At the bottom line:

Spartan Football is the most visible symbol of Michigan State University: it is the touchstone, the rallying point for 500,000 alumni, but today, no one is rallying.

Spartan Football needs guidance, and the President and AD are sitting in the chairs of oversight and accountability, and they need to be accountable and execute their roles. Spartan football won’t correct course by hope and good wishes. It won’t correct itself.

At the end of the seasons, critical issues must be addressed and critical questions must be given coherent explanations by the President and AD who must articulate a coherent plan of recovery and reversing course.

By December 7, one week after the football season, Spartan Alumni are entitled to an executive summary of a complete review of football operations put forth by the President and AD. I hope they aren’t waiting until December 6 to start their review.