J Smith is the new head coach at MSU
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/michigan-state-football-hires-oregon-181803240.html
I would have preferred McKinley Morganfield if MAC was intent on bringing back an old name. Why? Because I said so ;)
November 25th, 2023 at 5:17 PM ^
Great hire for them. He seems likeable so whatever
November 25th, 2023 at 5:45 PM ^
Idiots. I can't believe they rehired John L. Smith.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:41 PM ^
Jon-ath Smith
November 25th, 2023 at 5:50 PM ^
I don't think a likeable guy will fit in with their culture
November 25th, 2023 at 7:34 PM ^
My first thought was that if he wants to be successful he needs to distance the program from Dantonio & his bad mojo but I don't know if he has the stones to do it
November 25th, 2023 at 6:25 PM ^
Hopefully he can take some of the nastiness out of that program that has existed since roughly 2007. Seems like a good guy. Hopefully he molds the program rather than vice versa
November 25th, 2023 at 6:57 PM ^
Who cares? We'll be an independent and they should be the first team we dump.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:16 PM ^
Odd hire. Zero connections to the Midwest.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:19 PM ^
Aka Christopher Robin… bet!
November 25th, 2023 at 5:26 PM ^
Hope that means he’s bring civility to the football games - so we can enjoy the product on the field rather than all the hostilities and shenanigans.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:48 PM ^
I mentioned in the other thread;
I hope he doesn't get slowly poisoned by the culture in E.L.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:20 PM ^
HA! I bet he thought he was going to get away from playing Oregon forever!!!!!!!!
Wait until he sees his new rival!!!!
November 25th, 2023 at 5:21 PM ^
Did a great job at Oregon State - in many ways a similar job to MSU. Great get for MSU. Curious if he does a transfer portal job (taking all the Oregon State guys with him) or decides to build more organically.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:52 PM ^
Yeah, I'm disappointed. This guy is the real deal. I imagine after the Tucker debacle, they'll give him 4 years or so to do an actual rebuild versus Tucker's portal gambit
November 25th, 2023 at 6:43 PM ^
Can they afford not to? Like, do they have the cash to pay another buyout? Texas A&M they ain't.
I think the question is how long Smith stays at MSU if he gets it relatively cooking. As a Big Two job it's probably one of the ~30 best in the country, so a pretty limited universe of better jobs to get. But it's got a relatively hard ceiling and I could see him wanting to jump again if he does a great job in 2-3 years.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:53 PM ^
He can do both. Think there is a 15 portal limit so he takes his best 15 from Oregon State and then try to figure out the Midwest
If I am him I am hiring only guys from the Midwest on the staff aside from his DC who is good. If I am oregon state I am paying the DC to be HC but they have no money so who knows. Guy has no relationships in the Midwest. His recruiting classes are in the 60s but with St Andre money he can get that into the 30s.
If I am an OSU fan I am despondent as that is the best coach and alum they have had. If I am the other OSU fan I am also despondent as Ryan Day is a bitch.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:21 PM ^
What is his middle name?
November 25th, 2023 at 5:40 PM ^
I see what you did there
November 25th, 2023 at 6:02 PM ^
Danger?
November 25th, 2023 at 6:39 PM ^
Charles, but I think we still refer to him as John ‘L’. I’m expecting he has a similar record against us.
November 26th, 2023 at 2:44 PM ^
I did look before posting, but not well enough. My bad all the way :)
November 25th, 2023 at 5:24 PM ^
Win win for both parties. Oregon State basically is folding up the tent and MSU desperately needs someone who has a clean record.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:53 PM ^
This says a lot about the state of Oregon St. At best this is a lateral move, but that truly is "at best." MSU is currently a disaster, so the future of Beaver football must not be looking so great in the Pac 2.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:25 PM ^
Good hire, but I have to wonder if Smith knows what he's getting into at that tire fire?
November 25th, 2023 at 5:25 PM ^
Hopefully his middle initial is L and he slaps himself in a presser. Just stunned Urban didn’t take it.
Seriously, he is a solid coach. Probably the best MSU could attract. I just don’t see how he rebuilds this roster - it is void of young talent, minimal in the 2024 class, recruiting against UM/ND/OSU/PSU in the OH and MI corridor, and Smith has no experience or HS relationships in the area.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:33 PM ^
Probably a year zero, but maybe he takes all the good Oregon State players with him? Feel like any college coach can* right the ship in with two classes: take some transfers, hire local coaches and sell immediate playing time / opportunity. Besides, I have to think he's good at recruiting outside his home base given that Oregon is not full of blue-chip players.
TBH I think the bigger problem is Kentucky and Louisville being up, Cincy at least being able to sell the Big 12 membership, and Purdue looking interesting. MSU used to clean up with the kids in the southern Midwest who didn't get M-OSU-PSU-ND offers which was a really solid base to build from. (Maybe Nebraska moves into this area too, I don't know.)
My real thought is that this puts some nasty pressure on Wisconsin, especially given the end of the division structure. How will Fickell look vis-a-vis Smith in a few years?
*Not "will."
November 25th, 2023 at 5:28 PM ^
This is exactly what they needed
A milquetoast coach who will focus on the field. This is a good hire given the circumstances.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:29 PM ^
Maybe the best possible hire for them out of the realistic options. They need someone to totally rebuild them and in today's game it's no longer a 4 year thing. Good coach that will probably have them up and running by year 2.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:34 PM ^
A great hire. Me no likey.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:35 PM ^
Just don't give him a phone and a plane. I kid.
It is going to be hard for him to clean up the culture Ticket and Dantonio created.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:35 PM ^
Isn’t that Muddy Waters?
Please, little Baby Jesus, let Jonathan Smith’s middle name be Lawrence. Or Lance.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:40 PM ^
Yep, that's Muddy's birth name. I'm in complete favor of having coaches who can play the shit out of the blues.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:36 PM ^
Well, he already has experience with the four new conference members.
seems like a decent hire. I hope it helps them dial back the crazy vitriol in their fan base.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:40 PM ^
We've landed on the moon!
November 25th, 2023 at 5:46 PM ^
It was the most little brother thing ever to announce this during The Game.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:46 PM ^
It is a good hire. The odds are against him but it is the best MSU could hope for.
November 25th, 2023 at 5:47 PM ^
They rematch v Oregon next year - should be hilarious
Looking at the landscape he is the best they could do. I was hoping they would go with the Duke coach who I think is more of a fraud but apparently he turned down Ishbia. Guy rebuilt a pathetic program who is 2nd tier in their state. So he is comfortable being 2nd in the state again. Which is currently pathetic so he has a starting point.
Will have them at a nice 6-9 win program after 3 years but never elite. I assume he will take the entire Oregon State team with him in transfer portal so that will help.
But it's great for MSU which is about 8th in the new super conference behind UM OSU PSU Oregon USC (top 5). Wash we will see- riding a hot Penix. Then the next wave of MSU Iowa Nebraska Wiscy UCLA maybe Rutgers. None of these latter are going to playoffs. But again its a good hire for that program as his team actually plays hard unlike Mel Tugger.
So hard to find a head coach in this landscape - I was thinking what the hell is A&M going to hire
EXTEND JIM NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
November 25th, 2023 at 6:02 PM ^
Solid pickup for MSU.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:10 PM ^
Seems like a good hire for them. Probably the best they could’ve hoped for.
I’m not sure what he can realistically hope for in a revamped Big Ten, but I don’t think they’re going to be a bottom feeder with him.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:10 PM ^
Payton Thorne is carving up Alabama which is providing me multiple layers of schadenfreude
November 25th, 2023 at 6:10 PM ^
Seems like a good hire for them. Probably the best they could’ve hoped for.
I’m not sure what he can realistically hope for in a revamped Big Ten, but I don’t think they’re going to be a bottom feeder with him.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:15 PM ^
Good coach. Good leader.
Let's beat the crap out of him.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:03 PM ^
Nice hire for MSU.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:09 PM ^
Who cares. I’m enjoying this season.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:14 PM ^
They lucked out getting him because the PAC12 imploded. He is an Oregon State alum and I doubt he leaves that job if they were in a stable conference.