Michigan State Football: 10 most memorable plays of Mark Dantonio era
Jan 1, 2014; Pasadena, CA, USA; Michigan State Spartans coach Mark Dantonio poses after the 100th Rose Bowl against the Stanford Cardinal. Michigan State defeated Stanford 24-20. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
There have been so many memorable moments in Mark Dantonio’s tenure as Michigan State football’s head coach and it’s really hard to sit down and file out which ones were the “best” of the incredible moments.
If you’re a Spartan fan, you know that this has been the golden age for both Michigan State football and basketball and never has the school seen as much success as it has now with Tom Izzo and Dantonio at the helms of both programs.
So many great memories have already been created, but I really wanted to at least try to narrow down the best of the Dantonio era — at least make room for discussion for those who agree and/or disagree.
Let’s take a look at the 10 most memorable plays/moments of the Dantonio era and let me know if there are any that deserve mentioning.
10. Denicos Allen leaping sack against Ohio State
Denicos Allen will always be known as one of the best linebackers in Michigan State history and it seems as if the time with him, Chris Norman and Max Bullough manning the middle of the defense was taken for granted as that was likely one of the best groups of backers in recent memory.
Allen was also known as a sack artist at Sam linebacker, really putting pressure on opposing offensive lines and running backs to pick up the blitz and stop the bulldozer of a linebacker from getting into the backfield.
Well, against Ohio State in 2011 — the year before Urban Meyer — Allen made the most memorable sack in the Dantonio era that just begs to be mentioned on a list like this because it was just so ridiculous — and awesome.
Just watch the then-sophomore linebacker jump over the running back’s attempted block below the waist and sack the QB, ‘The Waterboy’ style.
Note: Waterboy references are included in this clip because the actual video was impossible to find.
There’s a reason he had over 200 career tackles and 18.5 sacks in his time at MSU — Allen was an absolute gamer.
Next: 9. Jeremy Langford TD run vs. Ohio State