Jonathan Smith buyout: What it would cost Michigan State to move on from coach amid struggles
Michigan State will have back-to-back losing seasons on Smith's watch in East Lansing
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2 min read
After firing Mel Tucker, Michigan State turned to Jonathan Smith to bring some stability to East Lansing and build the Spartans back into a Big Ten threat.
As Smith nears the end of his second season, Michigan State has shown little in the way of progress as a 28-10 loss on Saturday night to a struggling Penn State squad with an interim coach dropped them to 3-7 (0-7 Big Ten) and guaranteed a second consecutive losing season under Smith's watch. Morale around the Spartans football program is at a low point, as fans grow concerned they've been lapped by the top teams in the Big Ten.
As the losses have piled up and the Spartans haven't looked particularly close to a breakthrough -- six of their seven losses have been by double digits -- Smith has found his seat getting hotter by the week. That's led Michigan State fans to wonder if it's time for another coaching search, even with a highly competitive coaching carousel already forming.
Jonathan Smith buyout, contract details
Smith signed a seven-year, $52.8 million contract in 2024 that still has $38.25 million left on it after this season. Smith's buyout clause calls for him to get paid 85% of his remaining contract, which would put Michigan State on the hook fro just over $32.5 million, payable in monthly installments through 2030. There is offset language in the contract for anything Smith makes in a future job in college or the NFL, which should mitigate some of the cost, but that's still a sizable buyout for Michigan State.
Michigan State would have to feel confident they could land an upgrade over Smith to pay that much to get rid of him. The number of Power Four vacancies is already at nine, and if Michigan State made it 10 they would be closer the bottom of that list than the top in terms of how desirable the job is. Still, the lack of any discernible improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 of Smith's tenure is concerning for those around the Spartans program. If they don't feel like a turnaround is coming in 2026 with what they have on the roster and what's coming in recruiting, perhaps they'll be willing to roll the dice on another spin around the coaching carousel.
Smith's two seasons in East Lansing have not helped raise his profile on the coaching market, but he could look to return to Oregon State as the Beavers job is open again and would be an intriguing candidate for other teams in the Group of Six.
