BAMAPHIN 22
FinHeaven Elite
John L. Smith is 22-23 record in four seasons at Michigan State. He led the Spartans to the Alamo Bowl in his first season, but the team did not qualify for a bowl in 2004 or 2005.
John L. Smith will not return next year as Michigan State’s football coach but will complete the rest of this season, with the Spartans struggling again in the Big Ten.
Smith is in the fourth year of a six-year contract that pays him about $1.5 million annually.
“The performance on the field has not lived up to what we hoped it would be,†athletic director Ron Mason said during a new conference Wednesday.
“It comes time to make a change, and that’s where we’re at.â€Â
Just two weeks ago, the Spartans pulled off the greatest comeback in Division I-A history by rallying from 35 points down to beat Northwestern 41-38. But typical of Michigan State’s inconsistency under Smith, the Spartans (4-5) lost 46-21 at Indiana last Saturday to fall to 1-4 in the Big Ten.
Smith has been under pressure at Michigan State. School officials gave him a vote of confidence after last season’s losing campaign, but were looking for better results in 2006.
Mason and university president Lou Anna Simon said they reached the decision to make a change on Tuesday. Mason met with Smith on Wednesday, and the coach agreed to stay on the rest of the season.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15514418/
