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EAST LANSING, Mich. – Jonathan Smith, who has led Oregon State to new heights during his tenure over the past six seasons, has been named Michigan State University’s 26th head coach.
Smith will be introduced at a news conference on campus early next week.
Smith was named the 2022 Pac-12 Assistant Coach of the Year and built Oregon State into one of the conference’s top teams. He led the Beavers, ranked 11th in the College Football Playoff this season, to an 8-4 regular-season record and their third straight bowl appearance, a first for the program since 2006-09. OSU has posted a 25-13 record over the last three seasons under Smith, including a No. 17 finish in 2022 and a win over Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl. He also has coaching experience in the College Football Playoff as offensive coordinator at Washington in 2016.
The hire is subject to formal approval by the MSU Board of Trustees at a future meeting.
“Today is an exciting day for Michigan State as we welcome Jonathan Smith, his wife Candice and children Robert, Bella and Charles to our Spartan family,” said MSU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Alan Haller. “Jonathan has a proven track record of building the Oregon State program from the ground up by implementing a plan that resulted in sustained, historic success for the Beavers. He was part of the championship team, was coached in the College Football Playoff and understands what’s going on.” To succeed at the highest level, you need to learn from some of the most successful coaches in the game.
“On the field, his teams are tough and physical, yet innovative. This year, Oregon State has controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and is among the top in the country in both rushing offense and rushing defense. He has shown not only the ability to recruit talented student-athletes who fit his system, but also to develop and maximize players once they are in the program. At his core, he is a quarterbacks coach and throughout his career he has been instrumental in the development of young quarterbacks, which is essential in today’s college football landscape.
“Beyond the football field, the Smith family will be an excellent addition to the entire Michigan State University community. Jonathan and Candice are excited to be engaged community members and recognize that Spartan Football is just one part of the university’s larger mission.”
“With the Tom Izzo Football Building nearing completion, demonstrating our commitment to providing championship resources, and with the support of our passionate and loyal fan base, this is certainly an exciting time to begin a new era of Spartan football . “Jonathan has a deep appreciation for our program’s rich history and tradition and is committed to doing whatever it takes to compete for championships at the Big Ten and national levels.”
Smith, 44, is known for developing talent and has coached seven All-Americans during his OSU tenure, including six in the final two seasons in 2021 and 2022 (WR/PR Anthony Gould, LB Jack Colletto and OL Taliese Fuaga in in 2022; LB Avery Roberts, RB BJ Baylor and OL Nathan Eldridge in 2021). Additionally, Colletto was named the 2022 Paul Hornung Award winner for the most versatile player in the country, making him Oregon State’s fourth major honoree in school history. Smith has also coached two Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Players of the Year in Jermar Jefferson (2018) and Damien Martinez (2022), as well as four total Freshman All-Americans. OSU has made 59 All-Pac-12 selections over the past five seasons.
Eight Beavers were drafted under Smith’s tutelage, and another 17 signed as undrafted free agents. Earlier this year, tight end Luke Musgrave became the most drafted OSU player in nine years when he was selected in the second round (No. 41 overall) by the Green Bay Packers.
Smith helped create one of the toughest home atmospheres in all of college football, as Oregon State posted a 16-2 record at Reser Stadium over the last three years.
Off the field, Smith has driven a culture of success in the classroom with a total of 151 Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll honors in his first five seasons.
Oregon State was ranked in the AP Top 25 through the first 12 weeks of the season, a first in program history, including two wins over ranked opponents (No. 10 Utah, No. 18 UCLA). The Beavers have one of the best defenses in the country, ranking seventh in the FBS in sacks (3.00 per game), 17th in rushing defense (104.1 ypg) and 18th in interceptions ( 12). On the offensive side of the ball, Smith has led quarterback DJ Uiagalelei to a career-high in passing yards (2,638; 219.8 ypg) in addition to his 21 touchdown passes this season. The Beavers are averaging 33.8 points per game, good for fourth in the Pac-12 and 26th in the FBS, and rank 36th nationally in total offense (426.9 ypg). Sophomore Damien Martinez, a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, leads the Pac-12 in rushing yards (1,185; 98.8 ypg) and was supported by an offensive line that became one of 12 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award was named. The anchor of this group is junior offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga, who is one of seven Outland Trophy semifinalists.
Smith was named the 2022 Pac-12 Co-Head Coach of the Year and the AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year after leading Oregon State to 10 wins for just the third time in program history. The Beavers (10-3, 6-3 Pac-12) were ranked No. 17 in both the AP and Coaches polls after a 30-3 win over Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl. OSU ranked first in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (20.0 ppg), rushing defense (108.2 ppg), total defense (332.8 ppg) and pass efficiency defense (114.1 rating).
Smith led the Beavers to their first winning season and bowl appearance in eight years in the 2021 season as Oregon State went 7-5 in the regular season and earned a spot in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. The offense was key to OSU’s resurgence, setting a program record with 6.4 yards per game while averaging 31.2 points per game and gaining 5,581 total yards. Additionally, BJ Baylor became the first Beaver since 2003 to lead the Pac-12 in rushing (1,337 yards).
During the shortened 2020 season, Jermar Jefferson earned All-America honors for the second time in his career and was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year by The Associated Press. A member of Smith’s first recruiting class, Jefferson finished his OSU career ranked fifth in school history in rushing yards (2,923), rushing touchdowns (27) and 100-yard games (15). He was also named a 2018 Freshman All-American and the Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year. Jefferson was one of three players to earn first-team All-Pac-12 honors, becoming the first Beavers to earn First-Man All-Pac-12 honors. Team All-League honors since 2013.
In just his second season in Corvallis in 2019, Smith nearly led the Beavers to a bowl game, falling just short at 5-7 while still finishing second in the Pac-12 North (4-5). . The early stages of his program’s development were evident with statistical improvements on both sides of the ball and winning three away league games for the first time in six seasons. Redshirt junior linebacker Hamilcar Rashed Jr. led the nation with an OSU school-record 22.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks, earning first-team All-America honors.
Smith returned to his alma mater as head coach on November 29, 2017 after a highly successful four-year stint as offensive coordinator at Washington. He inherited a program that went from a winless Pac-12 team the year before he arrived as head coach to one of the conference’s top teams and consecutive top-25 finishes six seasons later.
Smith, the Beavers’ quarterback for four years from 1998 to 2001, helped lead OSU to its best season in 2000 with a school-record 11 wins, No. 4 in the AP poll and a record of 41-9 School history celebrated victory over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. He was named Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP for his three-touchdown, 305-yard performance against the Fighting Irish.
Smith finished his career as the all-time leader in school history in passing yards (9,680), touchdown passes (55), single-game passing yards (469 vs. Washington in 1998) and single-season passing yards (3,053). He also left OSU ranked third in conference history for passing yards and total offense, and his 9,680 passing yards still rank third in school history. Smith was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week several times throughout his career and received all-league honorable mention twice.
Smith – who transferred to Oregon State as a backup – made his first career start midway through his freshman season in 1998, and the two-time captain held that position the remainder of his time in Corvallis, a total of 38 games.
After his outstanding collegiate career, Smith entered the coaching ranks in 2002 as a graduate assistant at OSU under National Championship-winning coach Dennis Erickson. He was also the 2003 GA under Mike Riley, the winningest coach in Oregon State history. During his time as an assistant, Smith helped the Beavers to the 2002 Insight Bowl and 2003 Las Vegas Bowl and worked with longtime NFL quarterback Derek Anderson.
Smith received his first full-time coaching position as quarterbacks coach at Idaho in 2004, and in his final season with the Vandals in 2009, the team ranked ninth nationally in total offense (451.4 yards per game) and 12th in total offense in passing offense (286.7 yards per game) and 20th in scoring (32.7 points per game).
He then spent two seasons (2010-11) as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Montana. During the 2011 season, the Grizzlies featured one of the best offenses in the country and reached the FCS semifinals.
Smith made the jump to FBS in 2012, joining Chris Peterson’s staff at Boise State as quarterbacks coach for two seasons (2012-13). The Broncos won a share of the Mountain West Conference title in his first season at BSU and also recorded a victory over Washington in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Smith then followed Peterson to Washington to become offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and the Huskies quickly became a national power. Smith helped the Huskies have one of their best seasons in school history in 2016, as UW won 12 games, won the Pac-12 title, secured a spot in the College Football Playoff and finished No. 4 in the national polls. He mentored quarterback Jake Browning, the Pac-12 Player of the Year, to a record-setting career in Washington. Browning set a school record with 43 touchdown passes as a sophomore in 2017 while throwing for 3,430 yards. The Huskies won 10 games in 2017 and reached their second consecutive New Year’s Six bowl game with an appearance in the Fiesta Bowl.
Smith was the starting quarterback at Glendora (Calif.) High School for three years before beginning his record-setting career at Oregon State, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies in 2001.
THE SMITH FILE
BORN: January 18, 1979
WIFE: Candice
CHILDREN: Three children: Robert, Bella and Charles
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from Oregon State in 2001.
GAMING EXPERIENCE: Four-year letterwinner as quarterback at Oregon State (1998-2001).
PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE:
Head coach at Oregon State (2017–23)
Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Washington (2014–17)
Quarterbacks coach at Boise State (2012–13)
Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Montana (2010–11)
Quarterbacks coach at Idaho (2004–09)
Graduate Assistant at Oregon State (2002-03)
HEAD COACHING BALANCE SHEET: 34-35 in six seasons as head coach at Oregon State (2017-23).
POST-SEASON EXPERIENCE/BOWL TEAMS: Trainer: 2022 Las Vegas Bowl, 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, 2017 Fiesta, 2016 College Football Playoff Semifinals at Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, 2015 Heart of Dallas Bowl, 2014 Cactus Bowl, 2013 Hawai’I Bowl, 2012 Las Vegas Bowl, 2009 Humanitarian Bowl, 2003 Las Vegas Bowl, 2002 Insight Bowl. Player: 2000 Fiesta Bowl, 1999 O’ahu Bowl.