One day before National Signing Day, Mark Dantonio shocked the college football world by resigning from Michigan State. Perhaps the most common name coming out of the Michigan State wing of the internet to fill the position: Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell.

It isn’t a giant surprise that he stepped down after some rough years in East Lansing, but the timing of the move is extremely interesting. He collected a $4.3 million bonus by remaining with the team through January 15. FootballScoop suggests that the timing could be, in part, an effort to get interim head coach Mike Tressel the job full time.

Tressel is the nephew of longtime Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel, who was also the boss of Fickell with the Buckeyes. Fickel graduated from Ohio State in 1997, and after a one-season stint in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, he entered coaching at his alma mater. After a year as a graduate assistant in 1999, Fickell spent two years with Akron as defensive line coach, before returning to Ohio State as special teams coach in 2002.

He wound up taking over as co-defensive coordinator in 2005, and when Jim Tressel was ousted, he served as the interim head coach in 2011, transitioning the program over to the Urban Meyer years. He remained on staff under Meyer, until landing a very good head coaching opportunity at Cincinnati.

He’s done a very good job with the Bearcats, with back-to-back 11-win years in the tough AAC. Of the Group of Five head coaches, there may not be one with a stronger background in the Big Ten. His defensive focus would also probably play well at Michigan State.

There will be tweets about Luke Fickell today. — Mo Egger (@MoEgger1530) February 4, 2020

You are correct, Mo.

With Mark Dantonio stepping down there are two really intriguing options for #MichiganState: #Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi who did a fantastic job as MSU’s DC and #Cincy head coach Luke Fickell. https://t.co/Hg0h9Irr5I — Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 4, 2020

If you’re a Cincinnati commit, do you not sign tomorrow just in case Luke Fickell is indeed the next guy at MSU? — Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) February 4, 2020

Stepping down the day before signing day might be unprecedented? Not yet sure what MSU will do, but it should be Luke Fickell. But would he leave at this time of year? — Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) February 4, 2020

As @rossfredrix11 just texted me… Luke Fickell likely 1st call for Michigan State to replace Mark Dantonio — Jon Scott (@JonScottTV) February 4, 2020

Great time for Michigan State to get into the coaching carousel a day before National Signing Day and 2 months after all the good coaches were snatched up. Maybe they can pry Luke Fickell out of Cincinnati? — Patrick Schmidt (@PatrickASchmidt) February 4, 2020

Luke Fickell has been attached to a few other major jobs since taking over Cincinnati. He reportedly interviewed with West Virginia after Dana Holgorsen left for Houston, but that job ultimately went with Neal Brown.

Michigan State has made a College Football Playoff, and Mark Dantonio has proved that it could be a true Big Ten and college football power. The next head coach will have to dig MSU out of a hole, though. The Spartans are just 27-24 over the last four years.