Jonathan Smith (American football coach)

Jonathan Charles Smith (born January 18, 1979) is an American college football coach, currently the head coach at Michigan State University. He was previously the head coach for six seasons at his alma mater, Oregon State University. As a player, he was a four-year starter at quarterback for the Beavers under head coaches Mike Riley and Dennis Erickson.

Early years
Born in Pasadena, California, Smith graduated from Glendora High School in east Los Angeles County in 1997. He went north to play college football at Oregon State, and was originally a walk-on under head coach Mike Riley.

Smith was a four-year starter for the Beavers at quarterback, taking over midway through his redshirt freshman season in 1998 and maintaining the job through his senior season in 2001. As a junior in 2000 under Dennis Erickson, he led the Beavers to their greatest season in school history. The Beavers finished 11–1, a school record for wins, and won a share of their first conference title in 36 years, and finished the season ranked fourth in the country. His wide receivers on the team included future NFL players Chad Johnson and T. J. Houshmandzadeh. Smith was the MVP of the Fiesta Bowl.

Assistant coach
Smith was a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 2002 and 2003 under Erickson and Riley. He was the quarterbacks coach for six seasons (2004–2009) at the University of Idaho under three head coaches: Nick Holt, Erickson, and Robb Akey, then the offensive coordinator for two seasons at the University of Montana. Smith was the quarterbacks coach for two seasons at Boise State University under Chris Petersen, then went with him to the University of Washington and stayed for four seasons.

Oregon State
Smith was named Oregon State's head coach on November 29, 2017. He took the reins of his alma mater in a tumultuous period after Gary Andersen quit on October 9, six games in to his third season. Oregon State was .250 in the four seasons before Smith's arrival.

Smith broke through in his fourth season in 2021, posting his first winning record at 7–6 and receiving an invite to the LA Bowl. The Beavers improved in 2022, posting the third ten-win season in program history after soundly defeating Florida 30–3 in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Smith's initial five-year deal in 2017 paid him $1.9 million annually and automatically extended by one year after every six-win season. On January 7, 2020, Smith received a three-year extension through the 2025 season. After his first winning season in 2021, Smith's contract was rewritten, keeping him signed through the 2027 season and calling for him to make $3.25 million beginning in the 2022 season. After a historic season for the program in 2022, including a win over rival Oregon, Smith's received a new deal with another significant pay increase; the new six-year deal raised his salary to $4.85 million beginning in 2023. Smith's new deal reportedly placed him at fifth in the Pac-12 in compensation, including ahead of his in-state counterpart Dan Lanning.

Michigan State
Smith was officially named Michigan State's head coach on November 25, 2023. The position had been vacant since late September, after Mel Tucker's employment was terminated.