Breaking Down Why Jonathan Smith Didn't Work Out for MSU

The Jonathan Smith era did not last very long in East Lansing.

Michigan State fired Smith after two seasons on Sunday afternoon and will move in a new direction. Smith went just 9-15 and only won one Big Ten game this season.

MSU football has struggled for several years now, as the program has not been competitive for much of the last half-decade. Outside of a dominant 2021 season, the Spartans have failed to make a bowl game in four of the previous five seasons.

Athletic Director J Batt will move forward with Pat Fitzgerald, the former Northwestern coach.

Before Fitzgerald takes over at MSU, let’s break down why the Smith era failed to get off the ground.

Why Jonathan Smith didn't succeed

Smith took over the program in 2023 after Mel Tucker was fired that September for sexual assault allegations from Brenda Tracy. He turned Oregon State around and looked to do the same for MSU.

Smith and his staff turned the roster over tremendously, bringing in Aidan Chiles as his starting quarterback and adding several other Beaver transfers, including Tanner Miller at center and Jack Velling at tight end.

Nov 29, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Maryland defensive back Dontay Joyner (6) tackles Michigan State tight end Jack Velling (12) in the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

As a program builder, it was always expected that Smith would need time to make MSU competitive. However, things got worse for the Spartans in his second season, when year two is commonly when they improve.

MSU could not block anyone in the run or pass game. The pass rush never got home, so the Spartans got pushed around in the trenches far too often.

Nov 22, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith looks on during the second quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

That led to a lack of offensive and defensive success, which is why so many Big Ten teams were able to beat them convincingly. Smith didn’t show that his team was improving; they regressed instead.

Smith also did not recruit at a high level or retain elite talent very often. MSU fought off other programs to keep Nick Marsh home, but he let Simeon Barrow and Derrick Harmon walk during his first offseason.

Michigan State defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (41) celebrates after sacking Akron quarterback Jeff Undercuffler Jr. during the second half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Harmon went on to become a first-round pick in the NFL Draft, while Barrow made a big impact with the Miami Hurricanes.

When MSU is not a desirable destination for top talent, the Spartans will struggle to compete even against teams of a similar level. And that’s what happened this season.

While the Spartans showed a little more fight after the Michigan loss, it was still not enough to get over the hump and achieve the simple goal of making a bowl game.

Fans and donors became impatient with losing football in East Lansing, and two seasons without postseason football was enough for the Spartans to pull the plug on the Smith era.

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