Michigan State's Football Program is Looking to Establish Its Identity

Michigan State is under new leadership this season. Coach Jonathan Smith aims to establish Michigan State's identity early in his tenure.

From left, Michigan State defensive backs Dillon Tatum, Justin Denson Jr., Ade Willie and Aveon Grose look on during camp on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, at the indoor practice facility in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan State’s football team is just days away from the first game of the season, a home game against the Florida Atlantic Owls. It will mark the first game of what Coach Jonathan Smith hopes is a long and storied career at Michigan State. However, he and his coaching staff have already faced adversity and play one of the most challenging schedules in college football this season. 

Smith, embarking on his second rebuilding of a college football program, fully understands how much adversity naturally comes during the first season at a new school. He believes that how the Spartans respond to the adversity, they will inevitably face this upcoming season will be critical to the team’s success this season and in the future.

“I think the first year, adversity is going to come,” Smith told Todd Blackledge of NBC Sports. “Everybody is going to face that. I think the biggest challenge is how well we can handle adversity, [and] respond back, [when the] ball doesn’t bounce our way. [If] we have a tough half, how do we respond in the second half? Those things. I think a lot about the first year.”

Along with rebuilding Michigan State’s roster this offseason and over time, Smith’s most critical task is helping establish the Spartans' identity. The program has lacked this over the last few seasons. Smith explained what he wanted Michigan State’s identity to be over the next few years, starting with this season.

“We want to establish an identity in all three phases,” Smith said. “[Establish an] identity as a team. I want to be about finishing, making it physical. I want to be in a constant state of improvement. Game one, we play; I want to see improvement to game two and keep that process going so that we are playing our best football at the end of the year. We want to be in meaningful games in November when we are playing our best ball.”

Smith has a clear plan of attack for Michigan State on and off the field this season and in future seasons. If he can accomplish those goals, Michigan State could return to the national scene sooner than many think.

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