Michigan State fired head coach Jonathan Smith on Sunday after a disappointing 2025 season in which the Spartans finished 4-8 and 1-8 in Big Ten play.
“While that does not fall solely on Jonathan Smith, it’s become necessary to make a coaching change in order to chart a new direction for the program,” athletic director J Batt said in a statement.
After six years leading Oregon State (34-35 overall record), Smith took over at Michigan State in 2024 and now ends his two-year run in East Lansing with a 9-15 overall ledger.
Reports indicate that Smith is owed over $30 million as part of his seven-year contract signed last year, which doesn’t even include what the school will need to spend to find his replacement.
Hours after Michigan State announced the dismissal, running back Makhi Frazier, the Spartans’ leading rusher this season, has indicated he will put his name in the NCAA transfer portal.
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A physical, downhill runner listed at 5’10”, 218 pounds, Frazier totaled 116 carries for 520 yards and two rushing touchdowns this season, averaging about 4.5 yards per carry across nine games.
With RB Elijah Tau‑Tolliver, the team’s second‑leading rusher (428 yards, two TDs on 72 carries), being a senior, the Spartans will now likely need to replace nearly 1,000 rushing yards.
Frazier arrived at Michigan State as a three-star recruit from McKinney, Texas, and also drew offers from Arkansas, Boise State, Oregon State, Missouri, and Minnesota coming out of high school.
With two years of eligibility remaining, he immediately becomes an attractive prospect in the portal.
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The Spartans closed the year on a high note, securing a 38-28 win over Maryland on Saturday that snapped an eight-game skid.
Yet, the win did not affect bowl eligibility, leaving Michigan State out of the college football postseason.
With both their head coach and leading rusher on the way out, the next era must move fast to win back Spartan Nation.
