The Bobcat Nation

News Conference today to discuss the "coaching situation"

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/f ... index.html

Michigan State coach Smith resigning after seasonESPN.com news services


Michigan State football coach John L. Smith has resigned, but will stay with the school to coach any possible bowl game the Spartans would play in, ESPN.com's Ivan Maisel has confirmed.

The school has called a news conference for 1:30 ET Wednesday to discuss its football coaching situation.


Smith

Smith resigned after being told he wouldn't be back next season, ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach reported.

The Spartans started the season 3-0 under Smith, but have gone just 1-5 since. That slump started with a 40-37 loss to Notre Dame on Sep. 23 in which Michigan State squandered a 16-point fourth quarter lead.

That was followed by a 23-20 homecoming loss on Sep. 30 to Illinois, a team that had not won a Big Ten game since 2004. Blowout losses to conference powers Michigan and Ohio State came next before a stunning comeback in a 41-38 win at Northwestern on Oct. 21, a game they trailed 38-3 in the third quarter.

Most recently, the Spartans were drubbed 46-21 at Indiana last Saturday. Michigan State took a 7-0 lead before the Hoosiers scored 46 consecutive points.

No further information regarding the news conference was made available, but Smith's job security has been called into constant question since Michigan State's slide began. At least one local newspaper has speculated the news conference will announce Smith's dismissal.

Smith is in his fourth season as Michigan State head coach. His eight wins in 2003 were the most in a coach's first year on the job in school history.

But Smith's teams have developed a penchant for starting well and finishing poorly that extends beyond just this season. In 2003, the Spartans were 7-1 before finishing 8-5. In 2005, they started out 4-0 -- including a 44-41 win at No. 10 Notre Dame -- before floundering to a 5-6 record.

Smith came to Michigan State after five years at Louisville. The Cardinals played a bowl game every season under Smith and won back-to-back Conference USA titles in 2000-2001.

BG,
Thanks....must have just gone on the wire right after I posted it.

Actually seen it on ESPN, while surfing BN, while working....

Billings_Griz wrote:Actually seen it on ESPN, while surfing BN, while working....

Me Too.

LOL, life is good!