1. The B1G Story

There he was last month, standing at the podium at his introductory press conference, a glaring reality of the ever-changing college football landscape.

“I want to chase championships,” Jonathan Smith said.

And that’s why he left his dream job as coach at his alma mater Oregon State to jump into the Big Ten meatgrinder at Michigan State. Why he walked away from the bucolic scenery and easy living of central western Oregon, and convinced his family to do the same — while chasing the beast that is Michigan and Ohio State and the ever-growing Big Ten.

Why he left a university he loved and played for, one that adored him and understood that this isn’t a microwave world. That winning takes time, and when it finally happens, it can be rewarding on so many levels.

Why would any coach do this, you ask?

Because the changing landscape of college football, complete with Power 5 conference contraction — not just expansion — prevented Oregon State from a realistic chance to chase championships.

Not just conference championships. National championships.

Want to know why Smith left his home and his life in a perfect slice of the world? Because he can’t win at Oregon State what he can at Michigan State.

It’s as simple as that.

“Michigan State is a national brand,” Smith said. “I’ve got confidence in this move. I cannot overstate the idea of transition, of family all the way over here.”

In other words, he’s not coming just to take a shot at it. He’s not moving his family 2,400 miles across the country — out of their comfort zone and into the win or walk environment of Big Ten and SEC football — to see what he can do.

He wants to win now. And he wants to win big — just like the Spartans did with former coach Mark Dantonio, when they won 8 of 10 from Michigan and beat Ohio State and advanced to the Playoff, and played in the Rose Bowl and major bowls.

When the perpetual sleeping giant in the Big Ten reached its potential over and over.

2. Making a statement

Smith brought 6 assistant coaches with him from Oregon State, a group he says understands buildouts and what it takes culturally, structurally and operationally.

Then he swung big for the first, and not the last, time: He hired Minnesota defensive coordinator Joe Rossi. The same Rossi whose defenses have been among the best in the nation — despite the Gophers’ one-dimensional offense.

Only this season, after a collapse of the Minnesota offense and working with an inexperienced defense, did Rossi’s unit slip.

The Gophers were No. 4 in the nation in 2022 in scoring defense (12.4 ppg.), and No. 6 in 2021 (17.3 ppg.) in 2021. Three times in 5 full seasons, Rossi’s defenses have finished in the top 10 in the nation in total defense.

This, everyone, was a shot across the Big Ten bow. If Smith is going to do this, if he’s going to leave his comfort zone and where he could’ve coached until he chose to retire (while making significant money), he’s going to do it the right way.

The hiring of Rossi is just the first step. There will be more statements, and they will begin and end with player acquisition.

Which, of course, is the key to everything.

3. The buildout

Look, you’re not chasing championships in the Big Ten with a roster full of Jonathan Smiths, a tough, scrappy 5-10 (and that’s being generous) walk-on quarterback at Oregon State who developed into a record-breaking All-Pac 10 star and led the Beavers to their first (and only) 11-win season and the Fiesta Bowl.

In fact, the Beavers have 3 double-digit win seasons in school history: 1 from Smith, the player, and another from Smith, the coach (10 wins in 2022).

You’re not falling into those double-digit win seasons, you’re building through recruiting and player development. And you’re doing it, more times than not, with a unique quarterback.

Want to reach the Playoff in 2024 and beyond? Better find a rare quarterback to compete with Michigan and Ohio State and Penn State and USC and Washington and Oregon. To that end, Smith is already zeroing in on a quarterback who could change the offense immediately.

Aidan Chiles, Smith’s backup at Oregon State last season, is the No. 1 quarterback in the 247Sports composite ranking of transfer portal players. Ahead of Riley Leonard (who transferred to Notre Dame), and Cameron Ward and Dante Moore and Dillon Gabriel. Ahead of them all.

And he has thrown all of 35 career passes as the Beavers’ backup. But it’s what could be from the former blue-chip recruit that could change the dynamic at Michigan State. He’s an elite dual threat, who had 7 TDs (3 rushing) and 0 INTs in limited mop-up time.

He’s tall (6-3, 200) and and rangy (think Jayden Daniels), has elite arm strength and is a blur in the open field. He’s obviously not Daniels at this point in his career, but he’s an uber-talented ball of clay waiting to be molded with the right opportunity.

Smith will hit the portal to supplement a depleted roster, but that’s only part of the problem. The Spartans must build organically, too, through high school recruiting.

For years — and even under Dantonio — Michigan State prided itself as a program full of overachieving players who Michigan ignored in the recruiting process. In the age of the transfer portal, that won’t constantly work.

Michigan State has to win in high school and portal recruiting the chase championships.

“Not to sugarcoat, recruiting is vitally important,” Smith said. “This is a little bit different landscape from 2010 to ’20, and how this has changed. So you gotta be able to navigate. But I think there are some core principles of develop and recruiting that can last a lifetime. I plan on doing it.”

4. Moving on at Maryland

Think about this concept at Maryland, heading into the offseason: QB Taulia Tagovailoa set nearly every school passing record at College Park.

And the Terps were 24-19 in his 4 seasons from 2000-2023.

If you’re that good at quarterback and are 17-19 vs. Power 5 schools in 4 seasons, how much better can it get?

Billy Edwards Jr., and Cameron Edge were the top backups this season, but neither played significant snaps. Then there’s 3-star recruit Khristian Martin in the 2024 class.

Expect Maryland to be active in the transfer portal, and try to land competition for the starting job. There are any number of options, including AJ Swann of Vanderbilt, who Maryland recruited hard out of high school 2 years ago.

5. The Weekly 5

The top 5 confidence pool rankings for the Big Ten bowl season.

  • 1. Iowa (+7.5) vs. Tennessee, Citrus Bowl
  • 2. Minnesota (-4.5) vs. Bowling Green, Quick Lane Bowl
  • 3. Ohio State (-2.5) vs. Missouri, Cotton Bowl
  • 4. Penn State (-3.5) vs. Ole Miss, Peach Bowl
  • 5. Michigan (-1.5) vs. Alabama, Rose Bowl

6. Your tape is your resume

An NFL scout analyzes a draft-eligible Big Ten player. This week: Iowa TE Luke Lachey.

“What happened (at Iowa) can’t be the be-all, end-all here. They couldn’t throw the ball. You have an elite tight end on your roster, and the ball isn’t going his way because the quarterback can’t get it to him, or the design doesn’t allow it. He had 10 catches (in 2023); that’s absurd. If he’s Georgia’s tight end, he’d get 10 in 2 games the way they’ve used that position. He’s like all of those Iowa tight ends. He’s smart, understands the position and leverage, and is long and athletic. He’s a solid guy in our league for years.”

7. Powered Up

This week’s Power Poll, and 1 big thing.

1. Michigan: Georgia had 78 yards on 31 carries against the Alabama defense. That’s a bad omen for Michigan’s run-heavy offense.

2. Ohio State: If Ohio State thought the quarterback was a problem this season, wait until they see what happens in the Cotton Bowl (more on this later).

3. Penn State: A critical offseason for Penn State, which is replacing 2 coordinators and returning a loaded team in 2024 that will be a heavy favorite to reach the Playoff.

4. Iowa: No matter the new offensive coordinator, he can’t wait on Cade McNamara to rehab an ACL injury. Hawkeyes must hit the transfer portal again.

5. Wisconsin: Is Tyler Van Dyke really the answer for the quarterback-strapped Wisconsin Air Raid offense — after 2 straight underachieving seasons at Miami.

6. Northwestern: Former coach Pat Fitzgerald wasn’t big on the transfer portal. Let’s see if new coach David Braun changes that strategy.

7. Maryland: There’s a chance at real momentum to finish a season that nearly went off the tracks. All it takes is a win over one-dimensional Auburn.

8. Rutgers: The 6 wins in the first 2 months of the season were built against a light breeze, the last month of 4 straight losses against a strong headway of reality. How much better can it get?

9. Minnesota: Coach PJ Fleck is at a crossroads. The young quarterback he hoped to build around (Athan Kaliakmanis) didn’t work and then hit the portal. And Fleck lost a valuable assistant (DC Joe Rossi) to Big Ten rival Michigan State.

10. Illinois: It feels like the Illini under coach Bret Bielema are in a similar spot as Bielema’s Arkansas teams: They’re on the cusp of something big — but also dangerously close to it all falling apart without strong quarterback play.

11. Nebraska: It’s not hyperbole to state that 1 recruit — QB Dylan Raiola, the No. 2 overall recruit in the nation according the 247Sports composite — could save the program. Especially if he brings others with him

12. Michigan State: Imagine of Michigan State had beaten Rutgers and Minnesota — and Smith would have had 15 bowl practices to evaluate the roster. And maybe even coach the team.

13. Purdue: If this thing is going to work under coach Ryan Walters, Purdue can’t lose its best players to the transfer portal. The loss of elite WR Deion Burls to Oklahoma stings on numerous levels.

14. Indiana: Can new coach Curt Cignetti get Jordan McCloud, his quarterback at James Madison, to transfer to the Hoosiers?

8. Ask and you shall receive

Matt: Has Ohio State given up on Devin Brown? — Gary Miles, Columbus.

Gary:

Short answer: no — but with a caveat. If the Buckeyes felt good about Brown and his future, they’re not going after Day 1 starters in the transfer portal.

That doesn’t mean Brown can’t have 15 terrific bowl practices, play better than he has all season without former starter Kyle McCord around, and then show up with a career performance against a strong Missouri team in the Cotton Bowl.

In that perfect world, Brown will compete for the job in spring practice (again) with any Day 1 starter coach Ryan Day brings in from the portal. The reality is Day has to cover the position with McCord gone, and may need 2 portal signings.

Let’s say he signs Washington State’s Cam Ward, or any of the other top 5 portal quarterbacks. What then happens to Brown? Does he stay as the backup again, or transfer and play elsewhere?

If Brown leaves, the roster then has the Day 1 portal transfer, redshirt freshman Lincoln Kienholz and incoming freshman Air Noland. That’s why Day more than likely will sign 2 from the portal — the 2nd more than likely another Tristian Gebbia-type player.

Gebbia was a graduate transfer from Oregon State who was as much an insurance policy in case everything collapsed, as he was a young coach in waiting trying to absorb everything from Day.

9. Numbers

4. In the age of the vertical passing game, Minnesota has gone 4 straight seasons of averaging less than 200 passing yards a game.

The Gophers are 26-19 in those 4 seasons, with 2 losing seasons in 2020 and 2023 sandwiched around back-to-back 9-4 seasons in 2021-22. But Fleck may finally bend on philosophy.

The Gophers have added FCS star Max Brosmer through the transfer portal, and are still pursuing another quarterback in the portal. Fresno State QB Logan Fife announced on Twitter that he received an offer from Minnesota. Brosmer has 1 season of eligibility, Fife has 2.

Brosmer threw for 8,467 yards at New Hampshire and had 78 career TDs (10 rushing). Fife has been a career backup.

10. Quote to note

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti: “I’m a football guy. My hobby is football. It’s football and family for me, and that’s it.”