Oregon State head football coach Johnathan Smith has accepted the position of head football coach at Michigan State University less than 24 hours after the Beavers suffered a 31-7 loss against rival Oregon in their regular season finale on Friday. The news was confirmed by both Oregon State and Michigan State on Saturday morning.
“Coach Smith has shared that he has accepted the position of Head Coach at Michigan State,” Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes said in a statement. “His decision follows weeks of conversations during which he expressed his support for Oregon State’s short- and long-term plans and appreciation for the efforts Oregon State made to provide him with a new contract and guaranteed compensation.”
Barnes said the university has immediately begun a national search to find its next head coach.
Michigan State confirmed the news in a post on social media. Smith will take over a program that went 4-8 this season and finished 2-7 in the Big Ten.
A new era of Spartan Football is here!
Please welcome Jonathan Smith as the 26th Head Coach in program history.
📰 | https://t.co/cianmGIS3E#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/3lGTurivLF
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) November 25, 2023
“Coach Smith and his staff worked tirelessly to rebuild the culture at Oregon State, both on the field and in the classroom. All of Beaver Nation should thank him for the lasting legacy he has left to his alma mater and wish him and his family nothing but the best moving forward,” Barnes said.
During his six seasons with the Beavers, Smith had a record of 34-35 but was 25-13 over the past three seasons. Oregon State has qualified for a bowl game in three straight seasons under Smith.
Michigan State fired head coach Mel Tucker in September after acknowledging he had phone sex with a vendor who was paid to speak with his team about how to prevent sexual abuse and misbehavior.
