Jonathan Smith is no stranger to rebuilding a college football program.
His first FBS head coaching opportunity came at Oregon State, where he inherited a 1-11 team that changed coaches in the middle of the season.
By Smith’s fourth season of his tenure in Corvallis, the Beavers were back in a bowl game for the first time in eight years. By his fifth season, they were winning 10 games for the first time in 16 years. And by his sixth and ultimately final season, he had Oregon State ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll for the first time in over a decade.
What Did Jonathan Smith Say at Big Ten Media Days?
After a disappointing 4-8 campaign, which included the unsettling departure of Mel Tucker after only two games, Michigan State hired Smith to orchestrate some of the same magic he was able to oversee in the Pacific Northwest.
He took the podium on Wednesday at Big Ten Media Days. Here are three things we learned from Smith.
1) Football Is the Ultimate Team Game
Michigan State was in need of a roster overhaul after the 2023 squad finished the season with the second-fewest points per game (15.9) and worst points per game differential (-12.4) in the Big Ten.
Before discussing the eight new starters on offense and the 15 defensive players brought to Michigan State through the transfer portal, Smith touched on the mantra or philosophy he is bringing to the program.
“I’ve always learned a long time ago: low ego, high output,” Smith said. “How we approach it or how we play the game, how we prepare for it, even how you function as a staff, not keeping it just about yourself.
“This current roster, I am excited about in regards to I think we’ve got some talent, but we do have some guys that have a care factor for this game — not just about playing because there’s so much work that goes into it and the work needs to be done together.
“This is the ultimate team game.”
2) Don’t Talk About Heading Back to the Beaver State To Play Oregon
There might not be a tougher two-game stretch for any team in the country than the one the Spartans have early in their 2024 schedule.
Their first Big Ten home game of the season will take place on Sept. 28, when they host a national title contender in Ohio State. The Spartans have dropped eight straight against the Buckeyes, the last seven of which have been by an average of 34.6 points per game.
The following Saturday, Michigan State will head to Eugene for a visit to play against yet another national title contender in Oregon, who finished second to Ohio State in the Big Ten media’s preseason poll conducted at the start of the week.
Smith is very familiar with the Ducks from his time as a player with Oregon State (1998-01) and coaching against them in the same conference as Washington’s offensive coordinator (2014-17) and his alma mater’s head coach (2018-23).
When asked about that game in particular, Smith first offered a response about his wardrobe before trying to diffuse any extra attention the game might get on his behalf.
“Yeah, I have not worn much green leading into this, but I do have green eyes on that end,” Smith said, after which you can hear audible laughter from the assembled media.
“Look, I think, yeah, we’re going to play the Ducks, and they’re going to be a competitive team again,” Smith said. “They are year in and year out. That game, there might be some conversation about myself going back there, but that’s really about just myself. We’ve got a bunch of guys that we need to prepare a certain way each week to play our best, and that will be my approach in coaching the guys when we head down there.”
3) Spartans Fans Should Be Excited About Aidan Chiles
Aidan Chiles was a highly sought-after quarterback recruit for Smith at Oregon State before he saw only 94 snaps while playing the role of backup to DJ Uiagalelei in 2023.
Chiles completed 24 of 35 pass attempts for 309 yards and four touchdowns while also contributing 107 rushing yards in his limited action last season.
Smith gushed with enthusiasm when discussing Chiles on Wednesday.
“Athletically, he’s gifted at throwing the ball, he can move his feet, but he has a deep passion for this game,” Smith said. “He likes studying it, and I think he’s got some instincts to play in the game.”
“Yes, he’s still a youngster. He had some action last year, but we’re looking forward to seeing how him playing full-time, how he continues to grow and gives us a chance
to score some points.”
Michigan State’s 4.6 yards per play on offense last season ranked 128th in FBS, meaning the bar for improvement is already pretty low.
Smith certainly sees Chiles as an upgrade at the quarterback position, and he is likely to continue to improve throughout the season.
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