Jonathan Smith of Michigan State Spartans ranks ahead of Sherrone Moore of Michigan

The Michigan State Spartans are not expected to perform as well as their arch-rival Michigan. Sure, the reigning national champions have lost their head coach Jim Harbaugh, quarterback JJ McCarthy, one half of a dangerous running back duo in Blake Corum, top wide receiver Roman Wilson and many important players on defense.

However, they will bring back arguably the best cornerback in the country in Will Johnson, the best defensive tackle in Mason Graham, the best tight end in Colston Loveland and one of the best running backs in Donovan Edwards. However, they will take a step back at quarterback. Alex Orji is no McCarthy. Jadyn Davis is too inexperienced.

The Spartans can rest assured that they have the best head coach in Jonathan Smith. Sherrone Moore won important games when he stepped in for Jim Harbaugh despite a scandal, but he is nowhere near Smith’s level.

A recent list from Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports, who ranked Big Ten coaches, seems to agree, with Smith ranking 7th in the conference (out of 18) and 27th in all of college football.

“Smith’s 34-35 overall record with Oregon State may not blow you away, but the Beavers have gone 25-13 the past three years and produced plenty of NFL talent in that time,” Fornelli wrote. “Now Smith gets a chance at Michigan State, a school with deeper pockets than those available in Corvallis, Ore. Smith has an innovative mind and is a smart playmaker. He’s also an excellent quarterback developer, a combination that has long proven valuable in a football coach. The Spartans haven’t drafted a quarterback since Connor Cook in 2016, and he’s the only one taken since Kirk Cousins ​​in 2012. I guarantee you we’ll see much better quarterback development under Smith than Michigan State has had in the last decade.”