Jonathan Smith is returning the Mark Dantonio mindset to Michigan State football

In order to go forward, you must go back. That phrase never truly resonated with me until I heard new Michigan State football coach Jonathan Smith at 2024 Big Ten Media Days.

Speaking to the Big Ten media for the first time, Smith outlined his mantra for the program: "Low ego, high output."

We've heard him say that before but when he spoke about what kind of players he wanted in East Lansing to help complete a turnaround and turn Michigan State back into a powerhouse, he said something so familiar that it was almost as if Mark Dantonio was talking.

Smith said that he wants guys who have chips on their shoulders for whatever reasons and that they're motivated, competitive, and want to win.

Sound familiar?

Those are the exact types of players that Dantonio recruited and won big-time with during his tenure in East Lansing. He would always land the in-state or Ohio guys who felt disrespected by the Wolverines and Buckeyes on the recruiting trail and who played with massive chips on their shoulders. And that's why Michigan State was so successful from about 2009-2017.

It looks like Smith is adopting this mentality from Dantonio whether it be because he's done his research or because he has always thought this way (probably a bit of both).

When was Michigan State last successful for a long period of time? When the Spartans were recruiting guys who were maybe a bit overlooked and who were hungry and had chips on their shoulders.

Smith is bringing that old-school Dantonio-type of coaching back and it's refreshing to hear.

Let's hope the success on the field is similar.