Miami Hurricanes could face familiar name against Michigan State

The surprising resignation from Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio will affect the Miami Hurricanes game against the Spartans this fall. Several names familiar to Miami fans are emerging as potential candidates to replace Dantonio.

The resignation of Mark Dantonio as the Michigan State football head coach came as a surprise but not a shock on Tuesday. His decision will have an impact on the Miami Hurricanes game at the Spartans on September 26. Several names familiar to Miami fans have emerged as potential replacements.

Quickly after Dantonio announced his resignation pundits across the blogosphere promptly came up with their own list of five candidates who could replace the former Spartans head coach. The interim head coach is a name that will be familiar with Miami Hurricanes fans. MSU defensive coordinator and DB coach Mike Tressel.

Tressel is the nephew of former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel who coached the Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl National Championship game in 2003. Mark Tressel has spent the last 16 years at Cincinnati and Michigan State on Dantonio’s staff.

Canes Warning’s partner site Spartan Avenue projects Tressel as a co-favorite as the successor with his predecessor as the Michigan State defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett. Barnett spent the last two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Florida State. Miami fans can hope Barnett is the choice.

The Hurricanes carved up the Seminoles defense in the last six quarters of play. After scoring seven points in the first half at Hard Rock Stadium in their first venture against Barnett’s defense, Miami exploded for 48 points in the last six quarters of football against Florida State. That’s an average of 32 per game.

Michigan State finished 36th in scoring defense in 2019 under Tressel allowing a very respectable 22.5 points per game. As has been custom throughout former Seminoles’ coach Willie Taggart’s career, his defenses were mediocre at best. FSU allowed 27.8 PPG in 2019 to finish 66th in FBS.

Michigan State finished 19th in total defense allowing 321.6 total yards per game. Florida State an abysmal 90th allowing 424.4 points per game. By contrast, Miami finished 13th in total defense and 23rd in scoring defense in 2019. Another name that will be familiar to Miami Hurricanes fans is also emerging in East Lansing.

Pat Narduzzi of Pittsburgh who led the Panthers to a shocking upset of then number two and undefeated Miami on the final weekend of the 2017 regular season is the consensus favorite to be on the opposite sideline across from Manny Diaz a week earlier than anticipated. Miami plays MSU and Pitt back to back in 2020.

The Hurricanes travel to East Lansing on September 26 and host Pittsburgh at Hard Rock Stadium on October 3. Miami will host Michigan State on September 18, 2021 on the back half of a home and home. In Narduzzi’s five seasons in the Steel City, the 2017 victory over Miami’s best team in that time is his only win.

Narduzzi is a strong defensive-minded coach. The Hurricanes games with the Panthers over the past three seasons have been defensive battles between him and Diaz. Pittsburgh finished 15th in total defense in 2019 allowing 312.9 yards per game. The Panthers finished 36th in scoring defense allowing 22.5 PPG

Another intriguing name to watch could be Cincinnati head coach and Jim Tressel’s successor at Ohio State for one season Luke Fickell. Fickell coached against Miami as the interim head coach in 2011. A strong defense and too much Lamar Miller led Miami to a 24-6 victory over the hated Buckeyes.

The Miami defense held Ohio State quarterbacks to 4-18 for 35 yards in the victory. Fickell has since gone on to Cincinnati and led the Bearcats to a 22-5 record over the past two seasons after finishing 4-8 in his first year. Whoever is on the opposite sideline for Michigan State will be coaching his fourth game in East Lansing.