Experts Grade Michigan State's Decision to Hire Coach Jonathan Smith

The Spartans received a favorable grade.

Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith talks the media on the first national signing day for college football recruits Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan State hired Coach Jonathan Smith to come to East Lansing and replicate a similar rebuild he pulled off at his alma mater, Oregon State. While the situation at both schools was vastly different upon Coach Smith’s arrival, both football programs were looking to improve the production on the field. 

Both the Spartans and the Beavers had sustained multiple years of losing in one of the best conferences in the country. Both teams were also in a conference where their arch-rival, who also happened to be in the same state, was experiencing massive success. Losing on the field is complex, but doing so while your biggest rival has immense success is even more difficult. 

However, Smith was able to get things going in the right direction for Oregon State, leading them to eight- and 10-win seasons while there and even beating Oregon. Brandon Marcello of 247Sports notes that Smith was a well-sought-after coach who was expected to land with UCLA, but the Bruins took too long to fire their coach, Chip Kelly. Smith couldn’t afford to wait and see what UCLA would decide.

He joined the Spartans, who showed no doubt that Smith was their guy. 

“Michigan State may have jumped ahead of the line for Smith when it quickly pursued the coach in December,” Marcello said. “Smith seemed like an instant hire if UCLA had opted to fire Chip Kelly in November, but that didn't happen, and Smith moved to East Lansing.”

Smith has brought many of the same practices to East Lansing, which helped him turn around Oregon State, mainly his focus on the offensive and defensive lines in recruiting. Smith has already taken that same approach with the Spartans, offering many official visits and scholarships to three-star linemen on both the offensive and defensive lines. 

“He's a great get for the Spartans, who hired the most underrated coach west of the Mississippi River. He led the Beavers to 10 wins in 2022, including a victory against Oregon, and followed it up with eight victories last season," Marcello said. “The Beavers were built in the trenches, particularly along the offensive line, and that's going to be critical for the Spartans in the new-look Big Ten. Offensive line coach Jim Michalczik is the key.”

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