Is This Jonathan Smith Michigan State Grade Legit?

Jonathan Smith is entering his first season as the Michigan State head coach. He has been given a rating of how much pressure he is under in that year.

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith gives a thumbs up to the crowd as he enters the field during the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

For any first-year head coach, there isn't much pressure to produce immediately. First-year Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith will be walking into a clear rebuilding situation.

Michigan State had 38 players enter the transfer portal and went looking for a better opportunity to get on the field. Losing 38 players to the transfer portal is very tough for any coach. However, coach Smith gained 24 transfers as well as 14 incoming freshmen who all fit his scheme better than the players who left did.

ON3 writer Jesse Simonton wrote an article about how much pressure each BigTen coach had for next season. Simonton talked about how Jonathan Smith has low pressure because it is his first year as the head coach at Michigan State, and also how much of a mess of a program he is taking over.

“The ex-Oregon State head coach has experience of turning a fledgling program into a competent Top 25 team, and he’ll have many more resources at his disposal at Michigan State. He inherits a mess from Mel Tucker, and even with the Spartans’ in-state rival coming off a national title, there’s little expectation for MSU to make much noise in 2024.” Said Simonton.

Simonton also pointed out that “If Smith can take a program that’s clearly in transition right now to a bowl game in Year 1 that would be considered a real success story this fall.”

Jonathan Smith is going to have a very tough first season next year in 2024. Going from Oregon State and the Pac12, to Michigan State and the BigTen is a big change. The BigTen plays a different style of football compared to the Pac12 as there are a lot more ground and pound running games compared to a high flying passing game.

With time and patience, Jonathan Smith can lead Michigan State back to relevance and back to contending for a BigTen championship.

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