"It is lifeless": CFB analyst minces no words for Michigan State HC Jonathan Smith's disappointing persona

NCAA Football: Indiana at Michigan State - Source: Imagn
NCAA Football: Indiana at Michigan State - Source: Imagn

The Michigan State Spartans are having a disappointing season. The team brought in a new head coach, Jonathan Smith, from Oregon State, to help turn the team around. However, this season has been nothing short of a disaster for the Spartans (4-6). They sit near the bottom of the Big Ten and after losing to No. 24-ranked Illinois 38-16 on Saturday, they have lost three games in a row.

On Tuesday, Mike Valenti, the host of "The Mike Valenti Show with Rico," minced no words when talking about Smith. He spoke about how everything about him looked bad, from his schemes to his mannerisms on the sidelines.

"It is lifeless, both in his mannerisms and in the play on the field," Valenti said. "Whether it's players scheme or whatever, going six games without a sack. There hasn't been a team to do that since 05 in all of Division I. It's a lifeless product. He looks like a guy who has either given up on this team or worse. That is what it looks like.
"I saw them lie down and die like the dogs that they are, and I don't even know if the head coach is aware of it. Did you watch the game? They let a guy in a bedspread beat them."

Smith having a poor season is not something anyone expected. He was previously the head coach of Oregon State, where he turned the program around from when he was hired.

He was named the head coach of the Beavers in 2018 and had three losing seasons. However, he was able to turn the program around and had three straight winning seasons. That included a historic 2022 season, which included a win over rival Oregon.


What's next for head coach Jonathan Smith and Michigan State this season?

After its loss to Illinois on Saturday, the Spartans have two games left in their season. First, they will face off with Purdue on Friday while trying to end their three-game losing streak. They will then host Rutgers in their last game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 30.

The Spartans are unlikely to fire Smith as he is in the first year of a seven-year, $52.85 million contract that pays him $7.25 million annually. He was hired for the job after former head coach Mel Tucker was fired for allegedly harassing sexual assault survivor and sexual assault advocate Brenda Tracy.

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Edited by nagpaltusharn25
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