Jonathan Smith - Football Coach - Michigan State University Athletics

Jonathan Smith

Title:
Head Coach

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Jonathan Smith, who led Oregon State to new heights during his six-year tenure from 2018-23, was named Michigan State University’s 26th head football coach on Nov. 25, 2023.

Smith enters his second season leading the Spartans in 2025 after laying a strong foundation for the program during his first year in 2024.

Known for developing talent, the 46-year-old Smith has coached 10 All-Americans, 22 NFL Draft picks and more than 100 all-conference selections in his career, while also coaching in 10 bowl games, including the 2016 College Football Playoff as an offensive coordinator at Washington.

Named the 2022 Pac-12 Co-Coach of the Year, Smith built Oregon State into one of the top teams in the conference. He led the Beavers, who were ranked as high as 11th in the College Football Playoff rankings during the 2023 season, to an 8-4 record in the regular season and their third straight bowl appearance, a first for the program since 2006-09. OSU went 25-13 in Smith’s final three seasons (2021-23), including a No. 17 ranking in 2022 and a win over Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Smith coached eight All-Americans during his OSU tenure (2018-23), including five his last two seasons (OL Taliese Fuaga, OL Tanner Miller and DB Kitan Oladapo in 2023; WR/PR Anthony Gould and LB Jack Colletto in 2022). In addition, Colletto was named the 2022 Paul Hornung Award winner for the nation’s most versatile player, marking Oregon State’s fourth major award winner in school history. Smith also coached two Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Players of the Year in Jermar Jefferson (2018) and Damien Martinez (2022) and four Freshman All-Americans overall. OSU tallied 74 All-Pac-12 selections during Smith’s six seasons in Corvallis.

Eleven Beavers were drafted under Smith’s tutelage, and an additional 20 signed as undrafted free agents. Offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga became the highest-drafted OSU player in 10 years as he was picked in the first round (No. 14 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.

Smith helped create one of the toughest home atmospheres in all of college football, as Oregon State compiled a 16-2 record at Reser Stadium over his last three years (2021-23). Off the field, Smith led a culture of success in the classroom with a total of 168 Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll selections in his six seasons.

Smith held his introductory press conference in front of Spartan supporters, athletics staff and media from around the state of Michigan on Nov. 28, 2023, inside the Hall of History at the Breslin Center.

Jonathan Smith

Smith became the fifth MSU head coach to start 3-0 overall in his first season as the Spartans’ head coach, and the first since Hall of Fame Coach Mark Dantonio in 2007. The Spartans topped Florida Atlantic, 16-10, in Smith’s Spartan debut on Aug. 30, 2024, and also opened the season with wins at Maryland and over Prairie View A&M. In addition, MSU had victories over Iowa and Purdue in closing the year narrowly missing a bowl bid with a 5-7 record. In the classroom, Michigan State set a program record with its highest-ever semester GPA and cumulative GPA, and had 32 Academic All-Big Ten honorees and a school-record seven Academic All-District selections.

Six Spartans ended the 2024 season with All-Big Ten recognition: sixth-year graduate defensive lineman Khris Bogle (honorable mention, media), redshirt junior defensive back Charles Brantley (honorable mention, coaches and media), redshirt junior punter Ryan Eckley (second team, media; third team, coaches), sixth-year placekicker Jonathan Kim (second team, coaches and media), fifth-year graduate offensive lineman Luke Newman (honorable mention, coaches and media) and fifth-year senior linebacker Jordan Turner (honorable mention, coaches and media). Newman became the first NFL Draft pick in the Smith era at Michigan State, getting selected in the sixth round (No. 195 overall) by the Chicago Bears.

In Smith’s final season at Oregon State in 2023, the Beavers were ranked in the AP Top 25 the first 12 weeks of the 2023 season, a first in program history, including two victories over ranked opponents (No. 10 Utah, No. 18 UCLA). The Beavers had 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) during the regular season.

On the offensive side of the ball, Smith mentored quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei to a career high in passing yards (2,638; 219.8 ypg) in addition to his 21 touchdown passes. The Beavers averaged 33.8 points per game during the regular season, good for fourth in the Pac-12 and 26th in the FBS, and ranked 36th in the country in total offense (426.9 ypg). Sophomore Damien Martinez, a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, led the Pac-12 in rushing yards (1,185; 98.8 ypg) in the regular season and was helped by an offensive line that was named one of 12 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award. That group was anchored by junior first-team All-American offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga, who was one of seven semifinalists for the Outland Trophy and a first-round NFL Draft pick, and guard/center Tanner Miller, who earned second-team All-America honors from ESPN.com.

Smith was named the Pac-12 Co-Head Coach of the Year and the AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year in 2022 after leading Oregon State to 10 wins for just the third time in program history. The Beavers (10-3, 6-3 Pac-12) finished No. 17 in both the AP and Coaches Poll following a 30-3 win over Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl. OSU ranked No. 1 in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (20.0 ppg), rushing defense (108.2 ypg), total defense (332.8 ypg) and pass efficiency defense (114.1 rating).

Smith led the Beavers to their first winning campaign and bowl appearance in eight years during the 2021 season as Oregon State went 7-5 in the regular season and earned a berth to the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. The offense was the key to OSU’s resurgence, setting a program record with 6.4 yards per play while averaging 31.2 points per game and gaining 5,581 total yards. In addition, B.J. Baylor became the first Beaver to lead the Pac-12 in rushing (1,337 yards) since 2003.

During the shortened 2020 season, Jermar Jefferson earned All-America honors for the second time in his career and was tabbed the Co-Offensive Player of the Year by The Associated Press. A member of Smith’s first recruiting class, Jefferson closed his OSU career ranked fifth in school history in rushing yards (2,923), rushing touchdowns (27) and 100-yard games (15). He was also selected as a Freshman All-American and the Pac-12’s Freshman Offensive Player of the Year in 2018. Jefferson was one of three players to earn first-team All-Pac-12 accolades, becoming the first Beavers to earn first-team all-league honors since 2013.

In just his second season in Corvallis in 2019, Smith nearly led the Beavers to a bowl game, coming up just short at 5-7 while still tying for second place in the Pac-12 North (4-5). The beginning stages of his program development were on display with statistical improvements on both sides of the ball while also winning three road 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 with 14 sacks to earn first-team All-America honors.

Smith returned to his alma mater as head coach on Nov. 29, 2017, following a highly successful four-year stint as offensive coordinator at Washington. He inherited a program that went from winless in the Pac-12 the year before his arrival as head coach to one of the top teams in the conference and consecutive Top 25 rankings six seasons later.

A four-year letterwinner at quarterback for the Beavers from 1998-2001, Smith helped lead OSU to its greatest season in school history in 2000 with a school-record 11 wins, No. 4 ranking in the AP Poll, and a 41-9 victory over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. He was named the 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 No. 3 in conference history for passing yards and total offense, and his 9,680 passing yards are still third in school history. Smith was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week multiple times during his career and he earned honorable mention all-league honors twice.

Smith – who joined Oregon State as a walk-on – earned his first career start midway through his freshman season in 1998, and the two-time captain held that position the rest of his time in Corvallis, spanning a total of 38 games.

Following his prominent collegiate career, Smith entered the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant at OSU under National Championship-winning coach Dennis Erickson in 2002. He also was a GA under Mike Riley, the winningest coach in Oregon State history, in 2003. During his time as a graduate assistant, Smith helped the Beavers to the 2002 Insight Bowl and the 2003 Las Vegas Bowl and worked with longtime NFL quarterback Derek Anderson.

Smith landed his first full-time coaching position as the quarterbacks coach at Idaho in 2004, and in his final season with the Vandals in 2009, the team ranked ninth in the nation for total offense (451.4 yards per game), 12th for passing offense (286.7 yards per game) and 20th in scoring (32.7 points per game).

He then spent two seasons (2010-11) as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Montana. During the 2011 season, the Grizzlies posted one of the best offenses in the country and advanced to the FCS semifinals.

Smith made the jump to FBS in 2012 and joined Chris Petersen’s staff at Boise State as the 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 posted a win over Washington in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Smith then followed Petersen to Washington to be the program’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and the Huskies quickly turned into a national power.

Smith helped the Huskies to one of their best seasons in school history in 2016, when UW won 12 games, claimed the Pac-12 title, earned a berth 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 advanced to their second straight New Year’s Six bowl game with an appearance in the Fiesta Bowl.

Smith was a three-year starting quarterback at Glendora (Calif.) High School before his record-setting career at Oregon State, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies in 2001.

THE SMITH FILE

BORN: Jan. 18, 1979
WIFE: Candice
CHILDREN: Three children: Robert, Bella and Charles
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in liberal studies from Oregon State in 2001.
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: Four-year letterwinner as a quarterback at Oregon State (1998-2001).

PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE:
Head Coach at Oregon State (2018-23)
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 RECORD: 39-42 in seven seasons as head coach (Oregon State, 2018-23; Michigan State, 2024-).

POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE/BOWL TEAMS: Coach: 2022 Las Vegas Bowl, 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, 2017 Fiesta, 2016 College Football Playoff Semifinal 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.

NFL DRAFT PICKS (22): Smith has coached 22 NFL draft picks during his career.

Year-by-Year Breakdown:
2025 (2): OG Luke Newman (Michigan State; 6th round, No. 195 overall, Chicago); RB Damien Martinez (Oregon State/Miami; 7th round, No. 223 overall, Seattle)
2024 (3): OT Taliese Fauga (Oregon State; 1st round, No. 14 overall, New Orleans); WR Anthony Gould (Oregon State; 5th round, No. 142 overall, Indianapolis); S Kitan Oladapo (Oregon State; 5th round, No. 169 overall, Green Bay)
2023 (2): TE Luke Musgrave (Oregon State; 2nd round, No. 42 overall, Green Bay); DB Alex Austin (Oregon State; 7th round, No. 252 overall, Buffalo)
2022 (1): TE Teagan Quitoriano (Oregon State; 5th round, No. 170 overall, Houston)
2021 (2): DB Nahshon Wright (Oregon State; 3rd round, No. 99 overall, Dallas); RB Jermar Jefferson (Oregon State; 7th round, No. 257 overall, Detroit)
2020 (4): C Nick Harris (Washington; 5th round, No. 160 overall, Cleveland); QB Jake Luton (Oregon State; 6th round, No. 189 overall, Jacksonville); OT Blake Brandel (Oregon State; 6th round, No. 203 overall, Minnesota); WR Isaiah Hodgins (Oregon State; 6th round, No. 207 overall, Buffalo)
2019 (3): OT Kaleb McGary (Washington; 1st round, No. 31 overall, Atlanta); TE Drew Sample (Washington; 2nd round, No. 52 overall, Cincinnati); RB Myles Gaskin (Washington; 7th round, No. 234 overall, Miami)
2018 (2): WR Dante Pettis (Washington; 2nd round, No. 44 overall, San Francisco); TE Will Dissly (Washington; 4th round, No. 120 overall, Seattle)
2017 (1): WR John Ross (Washington; 1st round, No. 9 overall, Cincinnati)
2016 (1): RB Dwayne Washington (Washington; 7th round, No. 236 overall, Detroit)
2011 (1): QB Nathan Enderle (Idaho; 5th round, No. 160 overall, Chicago)

ALL-AMERICANS (10):
2023 (3): OL Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State; 1^st team, FWAA, CBS, ESPN, PFF); OL Tanner Miller (2^nd team, ESPN); DB Kitan Oladapo (Oregon State; 1st team, PFF)
2022 (2): PR Anthony Gould (Oregon State; 1^st team, CBS, PFF, Sporting News); LB Jack Colletto (1^st team, all purpose, Phil Steele)
2021 (1): LB Avery Roberts (Oregon State; 3^rd team, Phil Steele)
2019 (2): WR Isaac Hodgins (Oregon State; 2^nd team, PFF); LB Hamilcar Rashed Jr. (Oregon State; 1^st team, The Athletic, Sports Illustrated, Phil Steele)
2016 (2): OT Trey Adams (Washington; 2^nd team, FWAA); WR John Ross (Washington; 2^nd team, AP, CBS, PFF)

FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE (22 PLAYERS; 25 SELECTIONS):
2023 (4; Oregon State, Pac-12): OL Taliese Fuaga; OL Jake Levengood; RB Damien Martinez; LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold
2022 (5; Oregon State, Pac-12): AP Jack Colletto; RS Anthony Gould; RB Damien Martinez; LB Omar Speights; DB Rejzohn Wright
2021 (3; Oregon State, Pac-12): RB B.J. Baylor; OL Nathan Eldridge; LB Avery Roberts
2020 (3; Oregon State, Pac-12): OL Nathan Eldridge; RB Jermar Jefferson; LB Avery Roberts
2017 (3; Washington, Pac-12): OL Kaleb McGary; WR Dante Pettis; OL Coleman Shelton
2016 (5; Washington, Pac-12): OT Trey Adams; QB Jake Browning; RB Myles Gaskin; OL Jake Eldrenkamp; WR John Ross
2011 (2; Montana, Big Sky): TE Greg Hardy, OT Jon Opperud

ADDITIONAL ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES (91 SELECTIONS):
2024 (6; Michigan State, Big Ten): P Ryan Eckley (2nd), PK Jonathan Kim (2nd), DL Khris Bogle (HM), DB Charles Brantley (HM), OL Luke Newman (HM), LB Jordan Turner (HM)
2023 (11; Oregon State, Pac-12): RS Silas Bolden (2^nd), OL Joshua Gray (2^nd), DL Sione Lolohea (2^nd), OL Tanner Miller (2^nd), DB Kitan Oladapo (2^nd), TE Jack Velling (2^nd), DB Akili Arnold (HM), DB Ryan Cooper Jr. (HM), WR Anthony Gould (HM), ST Jesiah Irish (HM), PK Atticus Sappington (HM)
2022 (13; Oregon State, Pac-12): RS Silas Bolden (2^nd), OL Taliese Fuaga (2^nd), DB Jaydon Grant (2^nd), OL Joshua Gray (2^nd), DB Alex Austin (HM), DB Ryan Cooper Jr. (HM), LB Kyrei Fisher-Morris (HM), WR Tre’Shaun Harrison (HM), OL Brandon Kipper (HM), P Luke Loecher (HM), DL Sione Lolohea (HM), DB Kitan Oladapo (HM), DL James Rawls (HM)
2021 (14; Oregon State, Pac-12): AP Jack Colletto (2^nd), DB Alex Austin (HM), WR Trevon Bradford (HM), DB Jaydon Grant (HM), OL Joshua Gray (HM), PK Everett Hayes (HM), OL Nous Keobounnam (HM), OL Brandon Kipper (HM), QB Chance Nolan (HM), DB Kitan Oladapo (HM), TE Teagan Quitoriano (HM), DL Keonte Schad (HM), LB Omar Speights (HM), DB Rejzohn Wright (HM)
2020 (10; Oregon State, Pac-12): OL Joshua Gray (2nd), ST Champ Flemings (HM), DB Jaydon Grant (HM), WR Isaac Hodgins (WR), AP/ST Jesiah Irish (HM), OL Nous Keobounnam (HM), TE Teagan Quitoriano (HM), LB Hamilcar Rashed Jr. (HM), DL Simon Sandberg (HM), DB Nahshon Wright (HM)
2019 (5; Oregon State, Pac-12): WR Isaiah Hodgins (HM), LB Hamilcar Rashed Jr. (HM), OL Brandon Kipper (HM), QB Jake Luton (HM), TE Noah Togiai (HM)
2018 (4; Oregon State, Pac-12): AP/ST Andre Bodden (HM), WR Trevon Bradford (HM), WR Isaiah Hodgins (HM), RB Jermar Jefferson (HM)
2017 (5; Washington, Pac-12): RB Myles Gaskin (2^nd), TE Will Dissly (2^nd), RB Salvon Ahmed (HM), QB Jake Browning (HM), OL Nick Harris (HM)
2016 (3; Washington, Pac-12): OL Coleman Shelton (2^nd), TE Darrell Daniels (HM), TE Drew Sample (HM)
2015 (2; Washington, Pac-12): RB Myles Gaskin (HM), TE Joshua Perkins (HM)
2014 (2; Washington, Pac-12): OL Micah Hatchie (HM), OL Colin Tanigawa (HM)
2011 (7; Montana, Big Sky): WR Jabin Sambrano (2^nd), OG Danny Kistler (2^nd), Sam Gratton (HM), OT Charles Burton (HM), C Stephen Sabin (HM), QB Jordan Johnson (HM), RB Peter Nguyen (HM)
2010 (8; Montana, Big Sky): OG Russ Piette (2^nd), C Alex Verlanic (2^nd), WR Antwon Moutra (HM), WR Jabin Sambrano (HM), OT Chuck Burton (HM), TE Greg Hardy (HM), QB Andrew Selle (HM), RB Chase Reynolds (HM)
2003 (1; Oregon State, Pac-10): QB Derek Anderson