If Michigan State does move on from head coach Jonathan Smith, here is a list of ten potential candidates that could take the reigns.
Michigan State football was embarrassed in front of a homecoming crowd on Saturday afternoon, falling to UCLA 38-13, and ultimately hitting rock bottom.
Last week, it was noted that Jonathan Smith was probably going to keep his job, especially with his buyout being greater than 30 million dollars. After Saturday's embarrassment, where the team was booed off of the field, the sentiment may be changing in East Lansing.
It will probably cost the university close to 37 million to fire Smith and his staff but new athletic director J Batt might need to make a move, and make it before he losses his football program to the depths of disaster in college football. Conversations with donors need to be had as time currently passes.
If the Spartans ultimately do make the move, and get rid of Jonathan Smith, they are going to have to make a splash in the coaching market, and the can't miss with this hire.
While everything is just speculation for now, here are ten candidates that would make a ton of sense for the Michigan State job:
Urban Meyer (Fox analyst)
The man who should have gotten a full court press two years ago, and the job then, Urban Meyer is the first call I would be making if I was in the athletic director role. A sour taste inside of his mouth after a gross season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, there is a sense that Meyer wants one more run at proving that he is a hall of famer.
In his college career with Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State, he has compiled a 187–32 record with three national championships.
James Franklin (Penn State HC)
This is premature, slightly, because who knows if he will be available, but tensions are rising in Happy Valley, and if a move is made, MSU needs to make a call.
While not winning the big one, Franklin is a proven winner, compiling a 128-58 record at Penn State and Vanderbilt. If tensions boil over, this would be an unbelievable gift for MSU.
Alex Golesh (USF HC)
Alex Golesh is a rising star in the industry. After a successful career as a coordinator, Golesh took the job at USF, where he has the Bulls in position to potentially make a College Football Playoff. After back to back 7-6 seasons, the Bulls are 5-1 to start this year with wins over Boise State and Florida.
An Ohio native and Ohio State graduate, Golesh possesses coveted Midwest ties, and has Big Ten coaching experience at Illinois.
Brent Key (Georgia Tech HC)
With J Batt coming from Georgia Tech, Key's name is going to automatically be mentioned because of his familiarity with the Spartan AD.
After being an assistant with Alabama, UCF and Ga Tech, he got his chance to run the Yellow Jackets program. A 4-4 interim record was followed by a couple of 7-6 years, and now in 2025, he is 5-0 and contending for an ACC title.
Brian Hartline (Ohio State OC)
One of the hottest young names in the sport, Hartline has been an unbelievable stud on Ohio State's coaching staff. His time to take a head coaching job is nearing, but he is certainly going to be selective. The question is, is MSU attractive enough? They should make the call nonetheless.
Will Stein (Oregon OC)
Another one of the hottest coordinators on the market, and another guy who is going to be very selective, but is 100% worthy of a call. A Louisville, Kentucky, native, Stein has been at Oregon since 2023 and was previously the leading offensive mind at UTSA. He is credited with the revival of Dante Moore at QB.
Ryan Silverfield (Memphis HC)
Another young up and coming stud at the G5 level, Ryan Silverfield is an offensive line coach turned head coach, and he has excelled at it. A rugged guy that would bring the blue collar mentality to MSU.
As of now, he holds a 48-21 record at Memphis, and after going 10-3 and 11-2 the past two years, he has the Tigers at 6-0 and poised to make another run.
Pat Fitzgerald (Former Northwestern HC)
After exiting Northwestern, Fitzgerald has been cleared of wrongdoing and is now looking to get back into the coaching game. Still only 50 years old, Fitzgerald is young and eager to continue adding to his legacy as a coach.
In 17 years as Northwestern's head coach, Fitzgerald went 110-101. Give him resources he never had at Northwestern and he could really show off ho good of a coach he can be.
Fran Brown (Syracuse HC)
Another one of those young, budding stars in the industry, Fran Brown is going to be a hot name on the market during the coaching carousel. Leading the Orange to a 10-3 record a year ago, 2025 is going to be derailed by an injury to starting QB Steve Angeli, but you have to think he was on the cusp of another 8+ win year.
Brown would be able to bring an influx of talent to the program, and a sense of energy and urgency.
Tim Banks (Tennessee DC)
A Detroit native and Central Michigan alum, Banks has familiarity with the state and a ton of proven, big time coordinator experience to bring to the table. Having been the Tennessee defensive coordinator since 2021, he has propelled himself into one of the best defensive coordinators in the country.
Prior to his time with Tennessee, he was a co-DC at Penn State from 2016-2020, the DC at Illinois from 2012-2015, and Butch Jones's DC at both CMU and Cincinnati.
HM: Nick Saban (ESPN analyst)
There is no indication that he actually wants one last run in the sport, but if Saban is looking for one more try in the coaching game, MSU has to be the ones to try and bring him home. Obviously, the greatest college football head coach in history, excelling at MSU, LSU and Alabama, Saban would bring relevance to the program while having the opportunity to groom the next head coach.
HM: Max Bullough (Notre Dame LB coach)
Obviously, he is way too young and unseasoned to actually be the next head coach of this program, but the former Spartan linebacker and captain has to be though about for the next defensive coordinator spot. He would pair very nicely next to Urban Meyer or Nick Saban, learning as a head coach in waiting.
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Ten candidates if Michigan State football moves on from Jonathan Smith
Category: General Sports
