Mark Staten is in his fifth year on the coaching staff at Michigan State and his first as the offensive line coach. He was promoted to offensive line coach in February after serving as the tight ends/tackles coach and recruiting coordinator the past four years. Staten adds a mix of professional playing experience with a solid coaching background.
Mike Tressel is in his fifth year as the linebackers and special teams coach at Michigan State.
Last season, Staten oversaw two of the most talented tight ends in the Big Ten, in senior Charlie Gantt and junior Brian Linthicum.
A back-to-back first-team consensus All-American, Jones led the Spartans in tackles (106), forced fumbles (3) and quarterback hurries (6) and ranked tied for first in tackles for loss (10 for 20 yards) in 2010. He became just the seventh MIKE TRESSEL player in program history to receive first-team All-Big Ten LINEBACKERS/SPECIAL TEAMS honors three times. fifth SEASON A model of consistency, Jones led the team in tackles in 31
Gantt, who was a second-team All-Big Ten pick by the media, had 24 receptions for 301 yards and three touchdowns. He was an honorable mention All-American by SI.com and was named to the midseason watch list for the Mackey Award, which is awarded to the nation’s top tight end. Gantt ranked among the top tight ends in Spartan history, finishing his career tied for third in TD receptions (9) and sixth in both receptions (65) and receiving yards (951). MARK STATEN Offensive Line fifth SEASON
A transfer from Clemson, Linthicum was on the preseason watch list for the Mackey Award, as Michigan State was the only school in the country to have two tight ends on the list. He recorded 18 catches for 230 yards and one TD in 2010 and has caught 38 passes for 496 yards in his twoyear Spartan career. Staten also worked with the tackles the past four seasons, and his mentoring of D.J. Young paid dividends in 2010 as Young moved from right tackle to left tackle. A second-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches, Young and left guard Joel Foreman anchored an offensive line that ranked fifth in the Big Ten and 40th nationally in rushing during the regular season, averaging 168.8 yards per game.
Spartan Records
In 2009, four Spartan tight ends combined for 56 receptions, 780 receiving yards and eight TD catches. In addition to coaching the tight ends, Staten’s work with the offensive line helped the unit allow the fewest amount of sacks in the Big Ten (14).
Spartan history
As recruiting coordinator, Staten helped put together a 2009 recruiting class that analysts ranked among the nation’s Top 25 (MaxPreps/Tom Lemming No. 12, PrepStar No. 15, Rivals.com No. 17 and Scouts, Inc. No. 21). The Spartans followed that effort with another stellar class in 2010 that was ranked among the nation’s Top 30 (MaxPreps/Tom Lemming No. 22, Rivals.com No. 29).
Staten played an instrumental role in helping the Spartan offensive line become one of the best units in the Big Ten in 2007. He tutored left tackle Pete Clifford, who went on to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors. With the tight end position playing more of a prominent role in MSU’s new offensive system, Staten also helped Kellen Davis have his most productive year as a Spartan. Davis, a fifth-round NFL Draft pick by the Chicago Bears, recorded career highs in receptions (32), receiving yards (513) and touchdowns (6) as a senior.
Honors & awards
2010 Recap
Coaching staff
2011 Spartans
2011 outlook
coaching staff
Following the 2006 regular season, Staten was one of eight assistant coaches to follow head coach Mark Dantonio from Cincinnati to East Lansing. In 2006, Staten tutored team MVP Brent Celek, who set Cincinnati career records for receptions (88), receiving yards (1,114) and touchdowns (14) by a tight end. Celek, a second-team All-BIG EAST selection as a senior, was chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
In 2008, Staten’s offensive line unit helped pave the way for Javon Ringer, the nation’s fourthleading rusher and consensus first-team All-American. Under Staten’s tutelage, right tackle Jesse Miller earned his first career Big Ten honors, garnering second-team accolades from the league’s media.
In his role as linebackers coach over the last four seasons, Tressel mentored Greg Jones and Eric Gordon, two of the top linebackers in the nation who combined for 796 tackles in their careers.
of his last 39 games and became only the second player in MSU history to lead the Spartans in tackles for four-straight seasons (linebacker Dan Bass, 1976-79). The Cincinnati, Ohio, native started 46 of 52 career games and ranks among MSU’s all-time leaders in tackles for loss (second with 44.5), tackles (third with 457) and sacks (sixth with 16.5). Jones became the first Spartan to win Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year accolades after collecting 154 tackles in 2009, the most in the conference and third nationally. He was rated the No. 1 linebacker in the nation by CollegeFootballNews.com and earned the Linebacker Trophy (Linebacker of the Year) by the College Football Performance Awards. Jones was selected in the sixth round (No. 185 overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. Gordon started more games (49) than any player in Spartan history, including 40 consecutive starting assignments. He finished his career ranked among MSU’s all-time leaders in tackles for loss (10th with 29), tackles (12th with 331) and sacks (21st with 9.5). A second-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and media as a senior, Gordon was second on the team and 13th in the Big Ten with 92 tackles (7.1 avg.) in 2010, which tied his career high. Tressel also oversees a successful special teams unit that has been one of the best in the Big Ten since his arrival. Over the last four years, MSU has had two first-team All-Big Ten placekickers (Brett Swenson, Dan Conroy), a first-team All-Big Ten punter (Aaron Bates), and has featured conference leaders in both kick returns (Devin Thomas) and punt returns (Keshawn Martin). Last season, Bates ranked first in the Big Ten and 13th in the nation with his 45.0-yard punting average to earn first-team All-Big Ten accolades and second-team All-America honors by SI.com. In addition, Martin ranked first in the conference and 11th nationally in punt returns (14.2 avg.), and sophomore Dan Conroy was a first-team All-Big Ten selection after going 14-for-15 in field goals during his first year as the starting placekicker. Not only did the unit rank among the national leaders statistically in 2010, but it also delivered in the clutch. Four of the biggest plays during Michigan State’s Big Ten Championship season arrived on special teams, including: Bates’ 29-yard completion to Charlie Gantt on a fake field goal in overtime that won the game against Notre Dame; Martin’s 72-yard punt return for a touchdown that gave MSU the lead for good in the win over Wisconsin; Bates’ 21-yard pass to Bennie Fowler on a fake punt in the fourth quarter that sparked MSU’s comeback at Northwestern; and Denicos Allen’s blocked punt late in the fourth quarter against Purdue that led to the game-winning touchdown. For Tressel’s complete bio, please visit msuspartans.com.
the university
Bowl History
For Staten’s complete bio, please visit msuspartans.com.
THE TRESSEL FILE
THE STATEN FILE
FAMILY: Wife Megan, son Logan and daughter Quincy.
FAMILY: Wife Dana, sons Quinn and Maximus.
YEARS AT MICHIGAN STATE: Fifth. Joined staff on Dec. 1, 2006, from Cincinnati.
YEARS AT MICHIGAN STATE: Fifth. Joined staff on Nov. 30, 2006, from Cincinnati.
PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE: College – Graduate assistant coach at South Dakota (1996-97); offensive line coach (1998-2000) and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (2001) at Wartburg (Iowa) College; graduate assistant linebackers coach at Ohio State (2002-03); linebackers and special teams coach at Cincinnati (2004-06).
PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE: College – Graduate assistant coach at Miami-Ohio (2001); graduate assistant coach at Ohio State (2002-03); tight ends/tackles and recruiting coordinator at Cincinnati (2004-06). EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Miami-Ohio in 2001. PLAYING EXPERIENCE: College – Four-year starter as a defensive tackle at Miami-Ohio (1989-92). Professional – Spent parts of two seasons in the National Football League, with the Cincinnati Bengals (1993) and New England Patriots (1993-94). POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE: Coach – 2003 Fiesta Bowl, 2004 Fiesta Bowl, 2004 Fort Worth Bowl, 2007 Champs Sports Bowl, 2009 Capital One Bowl, 2010 Valero Alamo Bowl, 2011 Capital One Bowl.
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EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Cornell (Iowa) College in 1996; master’s degree in sports administration at South Dakota in 1998. PLAYING EXPERIENCE: College – Four-year starter in the secondary at Cornell (Iowa) College (1992-95). POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE: Coach - 1999 NCAA Division III Playoffs, 2003 Fiesta Bowl, 2004 Fiesta Bowl, 2004 Fort Worth Bowl, 2007 Champs Sports Bowl, 2009 Capital One Bowl, 2010 Valero Alamo Bowl, 2011 Capital One Bowl.
michigan state football