Jonathan Smith Named MSU’s 26th Head Football Coach
Jonathan Smith Named MSU’s 26th Head Football Coach
February 24, 2024The Jonathan Smith era is officially underway in East Lansing.
The 26th head football coach in Spartan program history was formally introduced in a press conference at the MSU Hall of History on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023.
Smith, 44, was named the 2022 Pac-12 Co-Coach of the Year and built Oregon State into one of the top teams in the conference after taking over in 2018. Under his guidance, Oregon State was ranked as high as 11th in the College Football Playoff rankings this past season.
The team went 25-13 in three seasons under Smith, including a No. 17 ranking in 2022 and a win in the Las Vegas Bowl. He also has experience coaching in the College Football Playoff as an offensive coordinator at Washington in 2016.
Smith brings his tried-and-true teambuilding philosophy to MSU.
“We are going to be process-oriented,” he said. “We stick to a process January all the way through December, you stick to a process Sunday to Saturday. You stick to a process at the start of practice, at the end of practice. I felt Michigan State fit that.”
The 2024 season kicks off on Aug. 31 when the Spartans host Florida Atlantic.
“With the Tom Izzo Football Building nearing completion, demonstrating our commitment to providing championship resources, and with the support of our passionate and loyal fan base, this is an exciting time to begin a new era of Spartan Football,” said Michigan State Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Alan Haller.
