MSU's Jonathan Smith Talks Shortcomings at Nebraska, Previews UCLA

EAST LANSING --- After getting a bit of time to digest the 38-27 loss to Nebraska and watch the game over again, Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith was able to break down what went wrong for the Spartans in-depth during his press conference on Monday afternoon.

He was also very complimentary of what MSU's next opponent, UCLA, was able to do during its upset victory over previously No. 7 Penn State this Saturday.

Video of the entire press conference can be found below.

Watch Jonathan Smith here:

Below is also a transcript of the very beginning of his press conference, where he dived into what went wrong on special teams.

Transcript

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith watches game action against the Southern California Trojans during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

SMITH: After watching the tape, kind of recapping some things. Obviously, we'll start with special teams. A lot that hurt us in that game. If you think about punt, obviously you give up a punt block for a touchdown. It can be tough to overcome. And so you look at it, we missed identification, really, out of three guys, and so the three guys are misidentified, and that starts with our preparations.

Coaches, schematically, you know, looked at some things. Didn't probably emphasize, on the road, crowd noise on the punt play, we got a lack of communication that way. So that hurt. And then it continued on the punt side in the coverage aspect.

And so there's a couple things that go with that. One is that when you get protected, and now you kick it and it's about placement. We've got a big-time punter, and he's got a big-time leg in this old adage, and kind of out-kicking your coverage. Well, yeah, he kicks it deep, but also the placement of it. We've got to get it closer to the sideline and use the sideline as help.

Michigan State's Ryan Eckley, right, celebrates a deep punt with teammate Darius Snow during the fourth quarter in the game against Boston College on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In coverage, at the same time, wherever he kicks the thing, we've got to be able to cover better than we did. Out of the lane or two. Good athlete returning it, but that did not help us.

You think about field position throughout, that's a problem. So we've got to get better there. Which has been a strength for us.

Let's face it, the first four games the punt unit have been a strength. Was not last Saturday.

Kickoff return, we've got the unfortunate one in the ball. You know, we've got to be able to field the ball. They're kicking off to us. However, the wind made be tough. The communication between the two (Sam Edwards and Jay Coyne). Got deep trust in the two that are trying to field it. They've got to communicate better.

But that was a huge momentum play for them, in regards to the game. They came back. We took the lead, came back (from down 14-0), the game's tied (21-21), and they get the ball with an extra possession. So special teams-wise, a lot to clean up that we need to do. Especially when you play on the road.

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