Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, Michigan's Steve Hutchinson get college Hall of Fame nod
Former Michigan State football head coach Mark Dantonio and former Michigan football offensive lineman Steve Hutchinson are headed to the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2024..
The National Football Foundation announced the 22-person group of inductees — comprised of 19 players and three coaches — Monday, hours before the College Football Playoff title game between Michigan and Washington. Dantonio, Hutchinson and the rest of the class will be officially inducted on Dec. 10 in Las Vegas.
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Dantonio stepped down as MSU coach four years ago after taking the programs to newfound heights over his 13 seasons (2007-19). He's the winningest coach in MSU football history with a 114-57 record (.667 winning percentage), and during his time in East Lansing, the Spartans won or split three Big Ten championships (2010, 2013 and 2015), reached another Big Ten title game (2014) and went to 12 bowl games, including nine straight to begin his tenure.
Michigan State beat Stanford in the 2014 Rose Bowl (as part of the 2013 season) in the final year of the Bowl Championship Series, then followed it up with an epic come-from-behind win over Baylor in the 2015 Cotton Bowl. The following season, Dantonio led MSU to the CFP semifinals. During his 13 seasons in East Lansing, Dantonio earned two Big Ten Coach of the Year awards (2010, 2013). He is the third Michigan State coach to be reach the college Hall, joining Biggie Munn and Duffy Daugherty.
Including his three seasons at Cincinnati before moving to MSU, Dantonio posted a 132-74 record in his 16 seasons as a head coach. He will be inducted alongside coaches Danny Hale (West Chester and Bloomberg colleges) and Frank Solich (Nebraska and Ohio).
Hutchinson, who played for the Wolverines from 1997-2000, is joining his second Hall of Fame after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. After redshirting as a freshman in 1996, Hutchinson made the switch from defensive tackle to offensive line and became a four-year starter and one of the best offensive linemen in the country over the next four years.
Hutchinson became a starter as a redshirt freshman in 1997 and immediately earned All-Big Ten honors while helping Michigan win the national championship. He remained the cornerstone of Michigan's offensive line over the next three seasons, earning All-Big Ten honors each season in Ann Arbor.
As a senior in 2000, he won the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year award and was a unanimous All-American, resulting in his first-round selection by the Seattle Seahawks at No. 17 overall in the 2001 NFL draft.
Hutchinson immediately showed his value by making the All-Rookie team in his first season. Hutchinson spent five seasons in Seattle, making one Super Bowl, before finishing his career with the Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans. He was an All-Pro player his first eight seasons in the NFL (five first-team and three second-team nods) and was a seven-time Pro Bowler.
The full College Football Hall of Fame class of 2024
Players
• Justin Blackmon – WR, Oklahoma State (2009-11)• Paul Cameron – TB, UCLA (1951-53)• Tim Couch – QB, Kentucky (1996-98)• Warrick Dunn – RB, Florida State (1993-96)• Armanti Edwards – QB, Appalachian State (2006-09)• Deon Figures – CB, Colorado (1988, 1990-92)• Larry Fitzgerald – WR, Pittsburgh (2002-03)• Toby Gerhart – RB, Stanford (2006-09)• Dan Hampton – DT, Arkansas (1975-78)• Steve Hutchinson – OG, Michigan (1997-2000)• Antonio Langham – CB, Alabama (1990-93)• Randy Moss – WR, Marshall (1996-97)• Julius Peppers – DE, North Carolina (1999-2001)• Paul Posluszny – LB, Penn State (2003-06)• Dewey Selmon – NG, Oklahoma (1972-75)• Alex Smith – QB, Utah (2002-04)• Kevin Smith – CB, Texas A&M (1988-91)• Chris Ward – OT, Ohio State (1974-77)• Danny Woodhead – RB, Chadron State NE
Coaches
• Mark Dantonio – 132-74-0 (64.1%): Cincinnati (2004-06), Michigan State (2007-19)• Danny Hale – 213-69-1 (75.4%): West Chester PA, Bloomsburg PA• Frank Solich – 173-101-0: Nebraska (1998-2003), Ohio (2005-2020)
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: MSU's Mark Dantonio, U-M's Steve Hutchinson headed to Hall of Fame
