EAST LANSING, Mich. — Jonathan Smith seems to be the coach Michigan State needs nearly a year after sexually charged allegations against Mel Tucker rocked the program.
Smith has a steady presence and experience in turning around a team, following Tucker’s attempts to market a dynamic personality that didn’t help him in a messy situation.
The 45-year-old Smith eased his transition by getting some Oregon State players and several coaches to come with him while persuading some key Spartans to stay.
“They could have chosen to go somewhere else - and they chose us,” Smith said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I do feel good about that part. These guys want to be here, they love football and we’re going to put this thing together.”
Michigan State’s football team fell apart last September when allegations became public that Tucker sexually harassed activist and rape survivor Brenda Tracy during a phone call. Tucker was suspended and later fired, prompting him filing a federal lawsuit earlier this month. Tucker had landed a $95 million contract after winning 11 games in 2022.
The Spartans lost eight of the last 10 games last season. Smith’s job is to pick up the pieces and it’s not the first time he’s tried to do it.
The former Beavers quarterback took over at his alma mater in 2018, the team coming off a one-win season, and won 25 games over the previous three years. He shared Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors two years ago.
Expectations from outside the program are low for Smith’s first season, but he’s not settling for a rebuilding year.
“We definitely want to win now, and we want to win more than we lose,” he said. “We want to be playing our best football at the end of the year, when ideally we’re playing meaningful games.”
Smith’s biggest recruiting win may have been landing quarterback Aidan Chiles, who played in nine games for him last year during his freshman season.
“Off the field and in the locker room, he’s a uniter,” Smith said in an interview before the 18-year-old Chiles was voted captain by his teammates. “When you’re implementing a new offense, it definitely helps to have a quarterback that has experience with it.”
Smith was also able to bring with him an AP All-Pac 12 offensive lineman, Tanner Miller, and AP all-conference tight end Jack Velling.
Michigan State’s leading rusher, Nathan Carter, receiver Montorie Foster Jr., and tackler, Cal Haladay, are among 11 starters and two specialists who are back from last year’s 4-8 team.
“Nate Carter has a chance to have a really good year in the scheme,” Smith said.
Six former Oregon State assistant coaches joined Smith in East Lansing, where two former Spartans are on the staff.
“It helps, but this is a different conference in another part of the country and it’s great to have some coaches that have experience in the Big Ten as well,” Smith said.
Courtney Hawkins, Michigan State’s receivers coach since 2020, was retained and Demetrice Martin, who was an assistant at six Pac-12 schools, was recruited to come back to campus.
The Spartans are projected to win 4 1/2 games, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The Smith era begins with a Friday night game, Aug. 30, against Florida Atlantic.
A five-week stretch in the middle of the season is incredibly tough with home games against No. 2 Ohio State and No. 25 Iowa along with road games against No. 3 Oregon and the Spartans’ top rival, No. 9 Michigan.
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