The name ‘Jonathan Smith’ is synonymous with ‘Middle Tennessee’ and even ‘John L. Smith’ in East Lansing these days. No one wants to even think about Smith returning for another season, but there are constant hints that he may be back even though he’s one of the least-favorite topics of conversation among Spartan fans.
Fans would love nothing more than to give Smith a one-way ticket to Corvallis, and watch him return to his alma mater next season. It would be a win-win for both sides. Smith would get to go “home” and Michigan State would get to move on and start fresh for a third time since 2019.
However, it doesn’t feel like that’s going to be the case.
There has been no mention of Smith from the athletic department, which is rather concerning whether you want him back or not. Other programs like Florida State, Baylor, Maryland, and Wisconsin have announced that that they’re retaining their current coach despite hot seat talk. Michigan State has left fans in the dark. Will he be back? Will he be fired? There’s no real feel either way.
What we do know, however, is that Smith and first-year athletic director J Batt meet regularly and are apparently on the same page financially. That’s a bit concerning for the ‘fire Smith’ crowd.
Also, a new development hit social media on Monday, and it’s an even bigger hint that Smith could return next season. The second-year head coach offered Grand Valley State transfer defensive lineman Jibriel Conde, and has set up a visit with him this weekend after the Maryland game.
Grand Valley State DL Jibriel Conde has called off his West Virginia visit and will now visit Michigan State this weekend, his agent Kyle Logan of Delta Sports tells @On3sports.
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) November 24, 2025
The 6-5, 290-pound DL posted 30 tackles, 6.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and two pass… https://t.co/Vvq3ZL0LOC pic.twitter.com/wvdXK1q8ZS
Why is this a hint of a Smith return? It’s not often you see a visit set up for a recruit after the final game of the season unless that coach is planning on returning. If a visit is set up post-Maryland (which I’m assuming it is), that means that Smith is fully expecting to come back.
I mean, he’s already recruiting in the transfer portal.
I can already hear a collective disappointed sigh from the Michigan State fanbase. Reading this tweet this morning probably felt like a punch in the gut.
Retaining Smith would lose Batt a ton of fan support and would probably have attendance at an all-time low next season. Even the former players are calling for change.