Why did Michigan State football fire Jonathan Smith? Spartans move on from coach

Sep 13, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith takes the field before a game against Youngstown State at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

Michigan State football is firing head coach Jonathan Smith on Sunday, Nov. 30, the Detroit Free Press confirmed on Sunday, Nov. 30.

Smith, finished his second season with the Spartans with a 48-38 win vs. Maryland, concludes his Michigan State tenure with a 4-15 official record after five wins in 2024 were vacated due to an NCAA settlement over recruiting violations during Mel Tucker's tenure.

The 46-year-old coach's tenure didn't go according to plan after he was hired away from Oregon State following the 2023 college football season. The former Oregon State quarterback led his alma mater to a 10-3 season in 2022 and an 8-4 finish in 2023 before taking the Spartans job.

Michigan State will likely look to move fast on its coaching search, as numerous Power Four schools across the country — Florida, Auburn and Arkansas — made hires on Nov. 30, a day after the regular season ended.

Here's what to know of Michigan State's firing of Smith:

Why did Michigan State fire Jonathan Smith?

Smith fell out of favor fast with Michigan State and its fans, as the Spartans were uncompetitive against ranked teams. The Spartans were 0-6 against ranked opponents under Smith, and outscored by 139 points in those games.

He went 5-7 in 2024 — not including the five vacated wins — and 4-8 in 2024 to finish his overall tenure with a 9-15 record. He failed to reach a bowl game in either of his campaigns.

Smith faced some challenges at the school, though, as Michigan State was being investigated due to recruiting violations that occurred under Tucker which led to the program vacating 14 wins from 2022-24. The NCAA found the Spartans allowed players who were ineligible to participate in games.

Michigan State is still searching for a coach to bring the school back to the heights of the Mark Dantonio era. Michigan State won 10 or more games in a season six times under Dantonio, and reached the College Football Playoff in 2015.

Tucker went 11-2 in his second season with the Spartans in 2021 but was fired midway through the 2023 season due to sexual harassment allegations. Tucker threatened to sue to school in April.

Jonathan Smith buyout

Michigan State owes Smith over $30 million if he's fired without cause as of Dec. 1, 2025, according to USA TODAY Sports' head coaches salaries database. He earned $7.35 million in total pay in 2025, making him the 27th highest-paid coach in college football among public institutions.

Jonathan Smith record

Smith finished 9-15 in two seasons at Michigan State, although five of those wins were vacated due to recruiting violations that occurred under Tucker, before Smith coached at the school.

Here's a look at his year-by-year finishes as a college head coach.