After losing to Michigan for a second year in a row to fall to 3-5 on the season with four tough games remaining, Jonathan Smith took to the podium for his post-Michigan presser, and fans were hoping for something — anything — in the form of fire from the second-year coach.
Instead, it was more “not good enough” quotes followed by an “it wasn’t for lack of effort” notion. While those statements are true, Michigan State just wasn’t on the same level as Michigan — again.
And that’s not good enough here.
What also isn’t good enough is the coaching that the program has gotten over the past four years. Since that magical 2021 season with Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State has done nothing but regress into mediocrity. It has become one of the laughingstocks of the Big Ten.
It has become “little brother” in this rivalry again.
So knowing that he lost arguably the most important game of his Michigan State coaching career in lifeless fashion, hearing some fire from the old ball coach would have been nice.
Instead, we get this:
MSU coach Jonathan Smith: "Obviously, not good enough." Says the team was energized and prepared this week but came out and played sloppy.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) October 26, 2025
Oh, you didn’t like that quote? Don’t worry, I have more. How’s this one?
Jonathan Smith: "Know that we are frustrated. We are working, staff, players, all of us, we are working to get better. It is not good enough." For his message to the fanbase.
— Emmett Matasovsky (@E_Matasovsky57) October 26, 2025
Didn’t like that one either? Here’s another sample:
Jonathan Smith: "Gotta keep working and looking at the situations we keep putting them in"
— Emmett Matasovsky (@E_Matasovsky57) October 26, 2025
The post-game presser was basically all coach speak. That’s the same Smith we’ve seen throughout his Michigan State tenure. It wouldn’t matter if he just lost to Rutgers or Michigan, he would be saying the same exact things, and that’s the problem. This program is never going to climb out of the gutter until it finds a coach with more fire — a coach who cares a little more about losing to that team.
Seeing these post-game quotes after losing a game like that with a fairly lifeless offensive effort should’ve brought out more fire. He thinks his team showed enough effort, though.
It’s tough to rise to the occasion when your head coach can’t get up for a rivalry game.