Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith is just one year into his tenure as the Spartans' head coach, and his second year feels make-or-break. Is his job security in jeopardy if another underwhelming season occurs in 2025?
Smith led the Spartans to a 5-7 season in his debut year with the program, winning just three Big Ten games. With many players being from the Mel Tucker era, Smith is still young in the recruiting process but has put together a fine 2026 class that will be brought in next year.
If MSU does go 5-7 once again, which would be the third time in the past four years, there will certainly be conversations on his ability to coach the team in '26. New athletic director J Batt is inheriting Smith as the team's head coach and would not be afraid to make a change to hire his own choice.
Anything less than five wins would certainly warrant a change. In Smith's defense, he was brought into a brutal situation as Tucker left the program in utter shambles, which has tasked Smith with the rebuild. Regardless of the outcome of this season, he deserves at least a third year due to the state of the program when he joined.
The Spartans have one of the top recruiting classes in the country for next season, and that may be just enough for Smith to last another season if the 2025 year goes sideways. Former head coach John L. Smith was fired after having three-straight losing seasons with five or fewer wins ('04-'06).
It would be surprising if Smith were to lose his job at the end of this year, but not outlandish. His job security lessened when the Spartans parted ways with former athletic director Alan Hallar, but an above. 500 season would keep him on the hook for at least one more year, possibly more.
When Hallar was let go from the University, a clause was triggered in Smith's seven-year, $52.85 million contract that would cut the sum of what another would have to pay him in half. That is a major detail that may interest other schools to take his talents if it does not work out at MSU.
Bottom line, Smith seems to have a strong plan in place for the future, and the Spartans should see a rise in success over the next few. Only the record and results of this season will tell if he continues to be the Spartans' coach heading into the 2026 season.
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