Believe it or not, Jonathan Smith and the Michigan State football program are still showing signs of life.
The Spartans have looked lifeless on the field for the past two months, failing to secure a single win since the first three weeks of the season. That’s right, it was still 70 and sunny outside the last time Michigan State was winning games, and that feels like an eternity ago. That’s unacceptable for a program like Michigan State which should have a heck of a lot more pride.
On Monday, Smith told the media that he’s “100 percent” confident that he can turn Michigan State around, and he believes in the guys that are in his locker room.
Fans laughed that notion off, and it still seems ridiculous to even think about, but Smith truly believes he can turn Michigan State around. Will he get another chance to do so? That remains to be seen, but he’s still working, and you have to appreciate the fact that he hasn’t quit on his guys — even if he doesn’t show any emotion on the sidelines and it looks like he’s checked out.
On Monday, he extended an offer to a Grand Valley State defensive line transfer, and on Tuesday, the second-year head coach landed his first commitment in months.
MSU lands its third WR in the 2026 class as Rai’Shawn Elmore announces his commitment(FREE)https://t.co/fsn7yq4qLv pic.twitter.com/jXQGWqL16D
— Corey Robinson (@C_Robinson247) November 25, 2025
It’s been a nightmare of a fall for Smith both on the field and on the recruiting trail. He had a top-25 recruiting class in the country entering the 2025 season, but when the wheels started falling off after the USC loss, he began losing a grip on some of his top recruits.
Tyren Wortham was the first domino to fall, decommitting in October, followed by fellow four-star Braylon Hodge. The latter already committed to Oregon, showing that the staff actually had a good eye for talent. Then, four-star wideout Samson Gash visited Alabama, and it looks like he’s a strong flip candidate for the Tide.
But Smith kept working, and on Tuesday, he landed three-star wideout Rai’shawn Elmore who decommitted from East Carolina a week ago.
Tough day to be an ECU Pirate, apparently.
Elmore is ranked the No. 207 receiver in the 2026 class, per 247Sports. This isn’t enough to warrant another season, but Smith is showing that he still cares.