Jonathan Smith Could Have an Advantage Over Other Big Ten Schools Against Former Pac-12 Teams

Michigan State has the perfect coach to head to Oregon with.

Dec 31, 2018; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Shakur Brown (29) runs the football against the Oregon Ducks during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports / Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Coach Jonathan Smith and Michigan State undoubtedly have a few challenging games. Most of the Spartans’ challenging games come around about a four- or five-game span. Michigan State faces Ohio State at home, then travels to Oregon to face the Ducks.

The Spartans will face Iowa at home before traveling to the Big House to play their arch-rival, Michigan. 

This is a tough stretch of games for most teams in the country. However, it will be especially tough for Coach Smith and the Spartans, who are rebuilding their football program from the ground up. Making matters worse, the Spartans will have two games on Fridays this year, putting those expected troubles on tape. 

The Friday games could go either way for the Spartans, but they will likely split the two. One of the games is at home against Purdue late in November. However, the game on the season Coach Smith has circled is the Spartans’ Friday road game against the Oregon Ducks. It will be Coach Smith’s first time facing them as the Spartans’ head coach.

With multiple former Pac-12 teams now in the Big Ten, many Big Ten coaches will be at a disadvantage when playing against those former Pac-12 schools for the first time. Each conference brings a different brand of football and a handful of completely different styles of play and gameday environments than most Big Ten coaches are used to seeing weekly. 

When Michigan State hits the road to face teams that were once in the Pac-12 but are now in the Big Ten, Coach Smith will not have the same disadvantages against Pac-12 schools as other Big Ten coaching staffs. In fact, there may not have been a better coach to help the Spartans face former Pac-12 teams than Coach Smith.

In fact, for their game against the Ducks on a Friday night, there are few Big Ten coaches who will be as equally prepared for what it takes to win on the road against those former Pac-12 schools as Coach Smith will be. His six years of head coaching experience in the Pac-12 will help him better prepare for the task.

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