what happened to michigan state coach

Quick Scoop: What Happened to Michigan State's Coach?

Jonathan Smith was fired as Michigan State's head football coach on November 30, 2025, after just two seasons at the helm.

Key Details

Why He Was Let Go

• Poor Performance: The Spartans finished the 2025 season with a dismal 4-8 record , including a painful 1-8 mark in the Big Ten.

• Late-Season Collapse: Michigan State lost eight of its last nine games, only breaking the skid with a final-day win over Maryland.

• Overall Record: Smith's tenure ended with a 9-15 overall record (4-14 in conference play), failing to meet the program's shared standards.

The Financial Hit

This firing comes with a massive price tag. Smith is owed more than $30 million (reports cite up to $33 million) due to the remaining terms of his seven-year contract. Athletic Director J Batt noted that while the failure wasn't solely on Smith, a change was necessary to "chart a new direction".

What's Next: The Replacement

Michigan State has already moved quickly to name a successor:

• Target: The school is finalizing a deal to hire Pat Fitzgerald , the former Northwestern head coach.

• Fitzgerald's Background: He won 110 games over 17 seasons at Northwestern before being fired in 2023 amid a hazing scandal; he reached a settlement with the university in August 2025.

• The Challenge: Fitzgerald inherits a program looking to recover from consecutive losing seasons and compete in an increasingly tough Big Ten.

Note: This situation is distinct from the legal troubles of Michigan (not Michigan State) former coach Sherrone Moore, who was recently charged with stalking and home invasion.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.