Luke Fickell Reportedly Turns Down Michigan State

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Michigan State's top candidate to replace Mark Dantonio is off the table. 

Luke Fickell, who interviewed for the job over the weekend, has decided to stay at Cincinnati, according to Yahoo Sports. 

Sources: Luke Fickell has decided to stay at Cincinnati. After interviewing for Michigan State on Sunday and talking it over with his family, he elected to stay put.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 10, 2020

Fickell has become one of the hottest names in the coaching business after back-to-back 11-win seasons at Cincinnati. While Michigan State could have offered increased pay and exposure, the program is in a tough spot after the sudden retirement of Dantonio last week. 

Any incoming coach will be playing catch-up in both recruiting and staffing, with the added challenge of competing against the likes of Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan in the Big Ten East.

Meanwhile, Fickell just secured the best recruiting class in Cincinnati history and has the program surging entering 2020. If he tests the waters again next offseason, he'll likely have more attractive options than Michigan State. 

With Fickell off the board, it's not entirely clear where MSU will look next. Other reported candidates such as Pitt head coach Pat Narduzi, Colorado head coach Mel Tucker and 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh have also taken themselves out of consideration.