Jonathan Smith has done a lot since coming to East Lansing — except winning.
The former Oregon State head coach took the job before the 2024 season, brought a few talented players with him, and signed a solid transfer class. He has been a decent high school recruiter as well, holding a top-30 class in 2026 for most of the season, but it’s falling apart slowly as the Spartans continue to lose games.
Smith has definitely worn out his welcome, and it didn’t take long. Other coaches have gotten longer grace periods, but Smith’s leash has been shortened thanks to the new era of the transfer portal and NIL because it’s proven to be able to turn programs around faster — just ask Indiana.
OK, so Curt Cignetti is a rare example of a coach who has turned things around in a hurry, but still, Smith has shown no signs of improvement, and rather he’s regressed since taking the job.
Michigan State was 5-7 last season and after a 3-0 start to the 2025 campaign, the Spartans are 3-8 and on the verge of their second 3-9 season in the past 10 years. Unacceptable.
Smith is also on the verge of making Michigan State football history, becoming the first coach in program history to lose every single Big Ten game. Only one other time has Michigan State gone winless in Big Ten play and that was back in 1958 when Duffy Daugherty went 0-5-1 in six conference games, but he at least had a tie. Smith is about to be the first coach to go winless.
This just adds to the list of reasons that Michigan State should move on from him. He went from nearly making a bowl game last season to not even sniffing the postseason this year, potentially losing nine straight games to end the season and winning zero conference matchups.
Former players and fans are embarrassed by the coaching staff, and Smith, too, should be ashamed of what has transpired this season, but he’ll just hit us with a “we need to be better” quote.
History could be made on Friday as Maryland comes to Ford Field.