Jonathan Smith was officially appointed as the head coach of Michigan State on Nov. 25, 2023, filling the position that had been vacant since late September 2023 after Mel Tucker’s termination. Fans had high hopes that Smith, who had a stellar tenure at Oregon State, would swiftly turn things around for the Spartans.
However, their expectations were not met, and results fell short. Analysts were particularly harsh in the evaluations of first-year football coaches, and Smith is among those who got low grades.
What Are Greg McElroy’s Thoughts on Johnathan Smith’s Coaching Performance?
Greg McElroy, the former Alabama Crimson Tide QB, didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet for Jonathan Smith’s first season at East Lansing. Speaking on Always College Football, McElroy gave Smith a B- for his efforts with the Spartans — this suggests “not bad, but could be better.”
“I’m giving Jonathan Smith, in his first year, a B-,” McElroy commented. “Now, first year? It wasn’t great, okay, especially the way things ended for them,” he went on. “The final four games of the year, to get blown out in three different games is not ideal. To score zero points in the second half against Purdue when you barely survive and Purdue, at this point, not very good whatsoever? It was not a good finish to the season. November was not kind.”
College Sports Network didn’t hold back when they assessed coach Smith’s first season performance, awarding him a D+. Some might see this as harsh, but considering Smith was one of the top hires in last year’s coaching carousel, it wasn’t entirely unwarranted.
In 2024, Michigan State ended with a 5-7 overall record and 3-6 in the Big Ten. Their season unraveled after a 3-0 start, finishing 2-7. The final month was rough, with a 1-3 record and an average loss margin of -28.7.
Well, Smith didn’t take over the best team, but it had potential. The first issue was the transfer portal chaos, where the program saw 24 players arrive and 36 left. The Spartan offence also struggled.
They managed only 19.3 points per game, placing them among the country’s lowest six. Aidan Chiles, their top quarterback addition, had a tough season. He completed just 59.4% of his passes for 2,415 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, contributing to the total of 15 for the team.
KEEP READING: 2025 Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25 Power Rankings
After making the Oregon State Beavers a top team and winning the 2022 Pac-12 Coach of the Year award, Jonathan Smith had high expectations placed on him as he took over Michigan State.
However, these preseason hopes might have been too optimistic. It’s just his first season, though, and with his proven success, he might turn around Michigan State’s performances in 2025.
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