Dantonio didn't mention it by name, but it's clear what he was talking about here:
https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1791079
National Championship? 'That's where our goals are'
Jim Comparoni
SpartanMag.com Publisher
Talk about it in The Underground Bunker
EAST LANSING - Considering that Michigan State is returning tons of talent from the only team in America that has finished in the Top 5 in each of the past two seasons, it may seem odd that the Spartans are almost never mentioned by local, regional or national press as a National Championship threat.
Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio has rarely - if ever - specifically been asked about the National Championship during the media tour run-up to the 2015 season.
And judging by his answer to an open-ended question during Michigan State Media Day on Monday, the ninth-year head coach seems to be comfortable "laying in the weeds," as he likes to say.
When asked what would constitute a "successful season" for the No. 6-ranked Spartans in 2015, Dantonio didn't mention the National Championship by name.
"I think a successful season is a season where you finish on the up note," Dantonio said. "A benchmark for us is going to be getting to the playoffs and all those type of things. That's where our goals are."
"Those type of things?" That was a blurred reference to the National Championship. But he steered away from using those words.
"Our goals, our initial goals, are extremely high," Dantonio said. 'I will say that. I don't go into the season saying I think we're going to lose these two games."
Translation: He thinks his team can win all of them. But that's as far as he went in that direction.
"The wins and the losses are going to come and go," Dantonio said. "That's a part of life. That's a part of who we are. It's going to be how we handle both ends of the stick that's going to determine are we ultimately successful.
"You reevaluate your goals as you move forward," Dantonio added. "This is what I want for our players: I want relationships, I want them to graduate, I want them to win, I want them to go to bowl games. I want us to give back, and when they walk out of here, feel good about their experiences here. That makes it a positive season for me.
"But you've got to handle negativity, too. That's a part of it."
In going 11-2 and winning the Cotton Bowl last year, Dantonio may have been proudest of his team's ability to bounce back from damaging losses, refocus, and come back strong.
"We regathered ourselves and we did what we needed to do to get back in the hunt in both situations," Dantonio said. "Coming after the Oregon game we had a ways to go to get back to where we were in the Top 10 and we were able to do that. And after the Ohio State game, we had to regather ourselves and made a run and we end up in a Big Six bowl. In both cases we rallied the troops a little bit.
"We didn't succeed in those two games so we didn't reach our goals, and that's the bottom line. We won 11 games, we ended up No. 5 in the country, we did what we did, but the fact of the matter is we lost two games where if we win either of those games, I think we are a little farther along."
Dantonio would prefer that the goals remain the same for all 12 games of the regular season. In order to do it, he is counting on senior leadership to help his team battle through problems this year and stay on course for the Big Ten Championship Game, the College Football Playoff and the National Championship.
"I don't sense complacency," Dantonio said. "I think our guys have goals in mind, goals internally, what they want to do, and I think right now guys are motivated on those.
"Now, we need to be able to stay motivated, too. That's a key. Can't fall away.
"Problems are going to come," Dantonio added. "We talk about that all the time. It's how we're going to handle those problems that are going to make the difference. Focus on the positive and stay grounded."
The Spartans have 17 seniors in the two-deep.
"We've got some maturity here," Dantonio said. "We've gone through some tough times. We've got to handle the things that are going to come our way, and they will come, I promise you, they will come."
https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1791079
National Championship? 'That's where our goals are'
Jim Comparoni
SpartanMag.com Publisher
Talk about it in The Underground Bunker
EAST LANSING - Considering that Michigan State is returning tons of talent from the only team in America that has finished in the Top 5 in each of the past two seasons, it may seem odd that the Spartans are almost never mentioned by local, regional or national press as a National Championship threat.
Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio has rarely - if ever - specifically been asked about the National Championship during the media tour run-up to the 2015 season.
And judging by his answer to an open-ended question during Michigan State Media Day on Monday, the ninth-year head coach seems to be comfortable "laying in the weeds," as he likes to say.
When asked what would constitute a "successful season" for the No. 6-ranked Spartans in 2015, Dantonio didn't mention the National Championship by name.
"I think a successful season is a season where you finish on the up note," Dantonio said. "A benchmark for us is going to be getting to the playoffs and all those type of things. That's where our goals are."
"Those type of things?" That was a blurred reference to the National Championship. But he steered away from using those words.
"Our goals, our initial goals, are extremely high," Dantonio said. 'I will say that. I don't go into the season saying I think we're going to lose these two games."
Translation: He thinks his team can win all of them. But that's as far as he went in that direction.
"The wins and the losses are going to come and go," Dantonio said. "That's a part of life. That's a part of who we are. It's going to be how we handle both ends of the stick that's going to determine are we ultimately successful.
"You reevaluate your goals as you move forward," Dantonio added. "This is what I want for our players: I want relationships, I want them to graduate, I want them to win, I want them to go to bowl games. I want us to give back, and when they walk out of here, feel good about their experiences here. That makes it a positive season for me.
"But you've got to handle negativity, too. That's a part of it."
In going 11-2 and winning the Cotton Bowl last year, Dantonio may have been proudest of his team's ability to bounce back from damaging losses, refocus, and come back strong.
"We regathered ourselves and we did what we needed to do to get back in the hunt in both situations," Dantonio said. "Coming after the Oregon game we had a ways to go to get back to where we were in the Top 10 and we were able to do that. And after the Ohio State game, we had to regather ourselves and made a run and we end up in a Big Six bowl. In both cases we rallied the troops a little bit.
"We didn't succeed in those two games so we didn't reach our goals, and that's the bottom line. We won 11 games, we ended up No. 5 in the country, we did what we did, but the fact of the matter is we lost two games where if we win either of those games, I think we are a little farther along."
Dantonio would prefer that the goals remain the same for all 12 games of the regular season. In order to do it, he is counting on senior leadership to help his team battle through problems this year and stay on course for the Big Ten Championship Game, the College Football Playoff and the National Championship.
"I don't sense complacency," Dantonio said. "I think our guys have goals in mind, goals internally, what they want to do, and I think right now guys are motivated on those.
"Now, we need to be able to stay motivated, too. That's a key. Can't fall away.
"Problems are going to come," Dantonio added. "We talk about that all the time. It's how we're going to handle those problems that are going to make the difference. Focus on the positive and stay grounded."
The Spartans have 17 seniors in the two-deep.
"We've got some maturity here," Dantonio said. "We've gone through some tough times. We've got to handle the things that are going to come our way, and they will come, I promise you, they will come."
