Smith leaves Oregon St. for Michigan St.
Michigan State hired coach Jonathan Smith away from No. 15 Oregon State on Saturday, hoping he can rebuild a program that crumbled with Mel Tucker in charge.
The 44-year-old Smith was 34-35 over six seasons at Oregon State, including an 8-4 mark this year as the program earned at least eight wins in consecutive seasons for the first time in more than a decade.
“Jonathan has a proven track record of success, building the Oregon State program from the ground up by implementing a plan resulting in sustained historic success for the Beavers," Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller said.
As a quarterback, Smith led the Beavers to the 2001 Fiesta Bowl. The Pasadena native returned as head coach in late 2017, inheriting a team that was 1-11.
“When I first arrived as a freshman college student, I had no idea the opportunities and relationships this community would provide for me and my family,” Smith posted on social media. “The collective impact you have made makes it impossible for me to thank everyone individually, but I am forever grateful.”
Previously, he was Washington's quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. He also coached quarterbacks at Boise State, Montana and Idaho after starting his coaching career as
an Oregon State graduate assistant in 2002.
Smith had six years remaining on his contract, worth $31.2 million through 2029, with a $3 million buyout.
In other coaching news:
• Mississippi State hired Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby as its new head coach on Sunday. Lebby has been offensive coordinator for the Sooners the last two years after
two seasons holding the same position at Mississippi. This is will be his first head coaching job and Mississippi State's third head coach in as many seasons.
• Texas A&M is working on a deal to hire Duke coach Mike Elko, replacing Jimbo Fisher with his former defensive coordinator for four years in College Station, a person with knowledge of the discussions told the Associated Press on Sunday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because an agreement had not been finalized but said Elko had emerged as the school's top target.
• Tom Allen spent four seasons steadily taking Indiana up the Big Ten ladder.
Then everything came crashing down in college football's rapidly evolving world.
Three consecutive losing seasons and a three-year conference record of 3-24 cost Allen his dream job Sunday, when the two sides reached a financial settlement to part ways.
• The University of Houston fired coach Dana Holgorsen on Sunday, a day after finishing his third losing season in five years.
• UTEP fired Dana Dimel on Sunday, a day after the end of his fifth losing season in six years.
• New Mexico fired coach Danny Gonzales, who never won more than four games over four seasons.
• Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi fired offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti on Sunday.
Odds and ends
No. 3 Washington, No. 4 Florida State and No. 5 Oregon all moved up a spot in the Associated Press college football poll Sunday, giving the Pac-12 two top-five teams for the first time since the final ranking of the 2016 season. … Football Bowl Subdivision newcomers James Madison and Jacksonville State, along with five-win Minnesota, are bound for bowls because of a shortage of eligible teams. Those three teams round out the 82 available spots because only 79 teams achieved the six wins necessary for bowl eligibility. James Madison (11-1) and Jacksonville State (8-4) are still transitioning to full FBS status and would not be eligible if there were enough six-win teams.