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Jonathan Smith Coaching History & Bio
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Oregon State wasn’t among the teams the Big Ten absorbed when the Pac-12 dissolved before the 2024 season. But that didn’t stop the Beavers’ coach from making the move. Jonathan Smith executed his own exodus when he accepted the head coaching position at Michigan State.
Jonathan Smith Head Coaching Record
- Oregon State (6 seasons): 34-35
- Michigan State (1 season): 5-7
| Season | School | Record | Conference Standing | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Oregon State | 2-10 (1-8 Pac-12) | 6th North Division | |
| 2019 | Oregon State | 5-7 (4-5) | T-2nd North Division | |
| 2020 | Oregon State | 2-5 (2-5) | 4th North Division | |
| 2021 | Oregon State | 7-6 (5-4) | 3rd North Division | L – LA Bowl |
| 2022 | Oregon State | 10-3 (6-3) | T-5th | W – Las Vegas Bowl |
| 2023 | Oregon State | 8-4 (5-4) | T-4th | Sun Bowl |
| 2024 | Michigan State | 5-7 (3-6) | T-12th | |
| Total | 39-42 |
Jonathan Smith Coaching History
- 2002-2003: Oregon — Graduate assistant
- 2004-2009: 2003: Idaho — Quarterbacks
- 2010-2011: Montana — Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks
- 2012-2013: Boise State — Quarterbacks
- 2014-2017: Washington — Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks
- 2018-2023: Oregon State — Head coach
- 2024-present: Michigan State — Head coach
Jonathan Smith Bio
Don’t judge Jonathan Smith’s tenure at his alma mater, Oregon State, by his sub-.500 record. It took his first 3 seasons to rebuild a roster and build a winning culture after taking over a program that had managed only 12 wins in the previous 4 seasons before his arrival.
Smith’s efforts finally paid off in 2021 when he led the Beavers to the first of 3 consecutive winning seasons. A year later, his team posted only the third 10-win season in school history, an accomplishment that earned him a 6-year contract extension worth $4.85 million a year. But neither that nor his allegiance to the school he represented as a player was enough to keep him at Oregon State when it became an odd team out when the conference realignment carousel started spinning again.
In Michigan State, Smith takes on another fixer-upper opportunity. He inherited a program in turmoil after previous coach Mel Tucker was fired amid accusations of sexual misconduct and began the process of laying a foundation by going 5-7 in his debut season of 2024.
A former walk-on who developed into a starting quarterback and led Oregon State to 11 wins and a top-5 national ranking in 2000, Smith quickly earned a reputation as one of the nation’s top young offensive minds. He worked his way up the ladder as an assistant coach at Idaho, Montana, Boise State and Washington, where he helped Chris Petersen’s Huskies to a Playoff appearance in 2016 before getting the chance to run a program of his own.