Unranked Michigan State may have been enjoying their bye Saturday, but that doesn’t mean there was no news coming out of East Lansing this weekend.
In a release, the school announced that they have reached an agreement on a new contract with head coach Mark Dantonio. While there were no new years added to the deal -- as explained by the school’s official website, Dantonio remains on a five-year rollover contract, which means the school will always be obligated to pay off five years of his contract if there is a premature parting of the ways -- Dantonio did receive a bump in annual pay as well as other incentives.
Dantonio’s annual income will jump from its current $1.8 million to $1.83 million under the terms of the new deal. Among other incentives, a $100,000 bonus for the Spartans winning the Big Ten championship game has been added to the tweaked contract.
Additionally, the date of a $2 million contingency bonus, previously set to be paid if Dantonio coaches the team through 2016, has been moved up two years to 2014.
“This new contract expresses the loyalty that I have to our current student-athletes and their families and sends a clear message to the current and future recruits that I will be their head coach at Michigan State,” Dantonio said. “It also lets Spartan Nation know that I deeply appreciate their loyal support and that I’m here for the long haul.”
During his four-plus seasons with the Spartans, Dantonio has compiled a 37-20 record, including 21-12 in Big Ten play.