Field Level Media
01 Dec 2025, 04:10 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images)
The Jonathan Smith era at Michigan State has ended; the Pat Fitzgerald era is about to begin.
The Spartans fired Smith on Sunday, according to ESPN. Not long after that news could be viewed across people's screens, Yahoo Sports reported that Michigan State intends to hire Fitzgerald as his successor.
Fitzgerald last coached in 2022 for Northwestern. The Wildcats went 110-101 across his 17 seasons while recording a few double-digit-win campaigns and claiming a handful of bowl victories.
However, Fitzgerald finished his last two seasons with the program a combined 4-20. Worse, Northwestern fired the program's longtime coach in July 2023 due to a hazing scandal that the school said included 'forced participation, nudity and sexualized acts of a degrading nature.'
That kind of off-field scandal will be very familiar to both Michigan State and Smith, who took over for the program in November 2023 after Mel Tucker's firing two months prior amid sexual harassment allegations following several NCAA violations.
Smith lost his job after a 4-8 campaign that saw the Spartans follow up a 3-0 start with an eight-game losing streak. Michigan State lost to then-1-4 UCLA, then-3-6 Penn State and rival Michigan during that stretch.
Smith finishes his Spartans tenure 4-15 after the NCAA vacated all five of Michigan State's wins from his debut 2024 season, as well as nine more wins from the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, due to recruiting violations during the Tucker era.
Smith entered Michigan State coming off a 25-13 run during his last three seasons with Oregon State, where he went 34-35 overall.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Herald Globe news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Herald Globe.
More InformationWASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. President Donald Trump ordered 500 more National Guard members to the city after the shooting of two members...
BRUSSELS, Belgium: The European Union has reached a political agreement on a new package of regulations designed to strengthen consumer...
VATICAN CITY: The Vatican issued new guidance reaffirming that Catholics are expected to marry only one spouse for life, underscoring...
BRASILIA, Brazil: Brazil's Supreme Court this week ordered former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro to start serving a 27-year prison...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: A federal judge has dismissed criminal charges against two high-profile critics of President Donald Trump—former...
In an extraordinary statement issued Thursday by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), it admits it has carried out about 1,200 diverse...
(Photo credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images) The Jonathan Smith era at Michigan State has ended; the Pat Fitzgerald era is about to begin....
(Photo credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images) De'Von Achane rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown, Riley Patterson kicked four field goals,...
(Photo credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images) Khris Middleton will be intent on slowing down old friends when the Washington Wizards play...
(Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images) Caught in a streak of surrendered leads, the Columbus Blue Jackets will try to close out...
(Photo credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images) Nick Folk kicked a game-winning, 56-yard field goal as time expired on Sunday, giving...
(Photo credit: Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Trevor Lawrence threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns...
