Michigan State, Jonathan Smith charging into Year 2
Smith fits the Spartans' ethos. Can he help them break through in 2025?
EAST LANSING, Mich. — For a Southern California transplant, Jonathan Smith fits in seamlessly in the heart of the Midwest. Sure, it helps that two of Michigan State’s most famous alums are Magic Johnson and Kirk Gibson, affording the even-keeled coach the chance to geek out from time to time. But his temperament is otherwise befitting of the land-grand institution that employs him.
“It's a physical brand of football, for sure,” Smith told The Inside Zone of the Big Ten. “But there is some great skill in this league, schematics in this league, coaching. Depth.
“I mean, you play nine conference games, the gauntlet that is Big Ten Conference play. You get exposed pretty quick if you get short on a position group or something like that.”
It’s Year 2 for Smith with the Spartans, who are looking to build off a 5-7 campaign that was mostly forgettable to the outside world. It was forgettable because State was a play or two here or there at Boston College or Michigan from making a bowl game. It was forgettable because it was just good enough to make everyone forget how messy everything was when Smith took over.