Jonathan Smith Sounds Off on Spartans' Pro Day
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Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith spoke at his program's Pro Day on Wednesday, beginning his time at the podium commending the success of other programs on campus.
Smith congratulated both the men's and women's basketball teams and wished them luck as they continue their runs in March while highlighting hockey coach Adam Nightingale and his team as they begin Big Ten Tournament play this Saturday night against Notre Dame.
Jumping into the Pro Day, Smith highlighted the 14 Spartan athletes that were "putting the final touches on their careers."
"You feel really proud of what they've done for the Spartans," he said.
Smith also sounded off on the fact that Michigan State didn't have as much representation at the NFL Combine as everyone would have liked.
"I think some of these guys were deserving," he said. "It's a process they go through that we don't totally control, but I'm pretty confident these guys can play at the next level, and they'll get that opportunity."
Smith talked candidly about what he will remember about this group as they move on to the next level. When asked about Year 1 and how this group set the foundation for the program going forward, Smith had nothing but great things to say about the players that took a chance on him.
"I have appreciation for the group," he said. "Being in Year 1, buying in and the trust that's involved in that, the work that got put in. I enjoyed this team.
"We would have loved to win more games, no question, but I did enjoy working with this particular group, and I think they've laid a foundation on how we want to approach things that's going to propel us moving forward.
With spring practices beginning next week, Smith projected how things will look with a year under his belt in the program.
"Going into the second year, you learn a lot from the whole process of Year 1. Really excited to get started; these guys have put in some serious work in January and February, so being able to put the ball down starting next week, I'm looking forward to it."
The Spartan coaching staff feels confident from the results of today and the feedback they received, that things are heading in the right direction for this program, and the players that worked out today were some of the key contributors to that shift in trajectory.
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Graham, the founder of High School Football Frenzy, covers high school football, hockey, and basketball across the Big Ten. He provides in-depth reports on prospects at all levels and builds strong relationships with coaches and players. Joining the On SI team as a Big Ten Recruiting Beat Writer, Graham brings extensive knowledge of the Big Ten region, recruiting prospects, and high schools.