Reaching Higher: Mark Dantonio and the Rise of Michigan State Football

After winning 13 games in 2013 and 11 in 2014, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio was anything but satisfied. Dantonio announced in the summer that his 2015 team’s motto would be, “reach higher.” The Spartans did just that. Behind quarterback Conner Cook and one of the nation’s top defenses, Michigan State survived a few early-season scares before statement wins over rivals Michigan and Ohio State set up a Big Ten championship game match-up against Iowa. In Indianapolis, MSU scored on an epic final drive to secure the conference championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Reaching Higher is the story of how Coach Dantonio elevated Michigan State into college football’s elite, told through images and stories from from The State News, Michigan State’s award-winning student newspaper. This commemorative edition highlights the key moments and stars from the Dantonio era in East Lansing, from Dantonio’s hiring in 2007 to the thrilling overtime win over Georgia in the 2012 Outback Bowl to the 2013 Big Ten championship season and Rose Bowl win to the program’s College Football Playoff berth in 2015. Also including features on stars Cook, Kirk Cousins, Le’Veon Bell, and others, Reaching Higher is an essential read for every Spartans fan.

The State News is the student newspaper at Michigan State University. In 2015, the Society of Professional Journalists named The State News as the nation’s best daily college newspaper for 2014.