Coach Jonathan Smith confronted the job-security questions directly this week, and his response was classic Smith: calm, focused on the process, and completely unfazed by the noise.
The Michigan State Spartans are 3-8 in his second season (3-15 overall with vacated wins from the previous administration), and the frustration from fans is noticeable.
With the coaching carousel dominating conversations in college football, Smith's name has surfaced in discussions about being on the hot seat.
“What we ask our players, and I go back to a mantra of keeping the main thing, the main thing, and what we can control this week is our preparation,” Smith said. “And so start with us as coaches, preparation, always digging in deeper, find the best positions to put these guys in, coming up with plans schematically they give us the best chance. Think about the energy asked between our players, Tuesday through Friday, getting ready for asking the same thing of coaches. ”
But Smith isn’t reading the message boards or tuning into radio shows.
“It starts with me and the staff, modeling this consistent approach with optimism throughout the week. Eight straight losses is a tough road. There’s no other way to say it. It is tough. And that doesn't mean, well, what’s the alternative? You quit? You run? You start blaming others? No. Keeping the main thing this week — we’ve been committed, deeply believing in these guys, and we want them to come out on the right side of the scoreboard.”
Smith also admitted that questions about his future are valid today.
“I think in this landscape of college football, what it is, that’s always a solid question,” Smith said. “Look across the country and (there are) changes and moving. That’s why I go back to understanding that each time you sign up (for) college coaching nowadays, it’s a week-to-week thing, and we’ve got another week to go do it.”
The man who rebuilt his alma mater, Oregon State, into a consistent winner knows what a rebuild looks like. He’s not panicking or pointing fingers. He’s focusing on Maryland, the last game of a challenging year, trying to send the seniors out with a win.
That steady demeanor is exactly why Michigan State hired him and why, even in the toughest times, the locker room still believes in him. One more week to fight. Then the real evaluation begins.