Ranking each Big Ten football head coach entering 2024 season
8. Jonathan Smith, Michigan State
Michigan State made a nice splash late last year by hiring Smith who left his alma mater, Oregon State, for an opportunity to coach in the Big Ten. Smith is tasked with getting the Spartans back to where they were during the peak of the Mark Dantonio era as they have won more than seven games just twice in the last eight seasons. The 45-year-old brings experience with him as a former offensive coordinator at Montana and Washington before he returned to Oregon State as head coach in 2018. With the Beavers, Smith went just 34-35 overall but had the program on the rise with three straight winning seasons, including a 10-win campaign in 2022. Smith has already added several notable players including prized quarterback Aidan Chiles, and his offensive background could help the Spartans thrive sooner rather than later.
