This story sounds familar....hmmmmm....where have I read something like this before?
Oh yeah! Here:
Commentary: Michigan State hire is substance over style
By Larry Lage
AP Sports Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State needs steak, not sizzle.
While John L. Smith is not a big-name coach, the man hired Thursday to lead the Spartans may be just the person to turn around a program that hasn't sustained success or coaching stability for more than 30 years.
Athletic director Ron Mason wanted to hire a head coach with a proven track record, and he found one after a six-week search following his firing of Bobby Williams.
In 14 seasons as a head coach at three schools, Smith ranks 14th among Division I-A coaches in wins, with 110.
The 54-year-old has climbed the coaching ladder with sure-footed moves.
In six seasons at Idaho, he became its winningest coach, made three straight trips to the NCAA I-AA playoffs and won two Big Sky titles.
In three seasons at Utah State, he won two Big West championships with a program that had just two winning seasons in the previous 15 years.
During his five years at Louisville, he led the Cardinals to unprecedented success with two Conference USA titles and five straight bowl appearances, including Wednesday's loss in the GMAC Bowl.
The jump to the Big Ten represents the most-daunting step Smith has made, especially since he will have to compete on the recruiting trail and on the field with conference powers Michigan and Ohio State along with independent Notre Dame.
But Smith's proven track record explains why Mason is comfortable putting his reputation at stake with this decision.
The first-year director knows if Smith proves not to be the right coach -- and nobody will be able to answer that for at least a couple of years -- this move will be remembered more vividly than any of the decisions he made as college hockey's winningest coach.
While other schools fired coaches after Michigan State did, and found replacements quicker, Mason said he wouldn't be rushed. Mason wasn't worried about losing recruits because he said one recruiting class was not worth making a hasty decision.
He conducted his search about as quiet as one can these days with the Internet and sports-talk radio fueling incessant rumors. Redskins defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis was the only other known candidate.
Smith has a better chance of being a long-term fit for a program that desperately needs it.
Lewis and Michigan State officials discussed contract terms during his on-campus interview last week, but Mason insists he was never offered the job. Lewis later said he still wanted to be an NFL head coach. It helped Michigan State that Lewis made that decision now, and not after a year or two in East Lansing.
Lewis would've grabbed national headlines, excited more fans and perhaps even attracted Saginaw High School star linebacker LaMarr Woodley, but it would've been a short-term fix for a long-term problem.
No Big Ten football program has had more turnover with its head coach than Michigan State, which now has its eighth coach in 30 years.
That's a big reason the Spartans have been unable to sustain success since they were a national power in the mid-1960s under coach Duffy Daugherty.
Despite consistently sending players to the NFL, Michigan State has gone to just one Rose Bowl, won three Big Ten titles and won eight or more games in consecutive seasons once since 1966.
Since Daugherty's 19 seasons ended in 1972, Michigan State has had Denny Stolz, Darryl Rogers, Muddy Waters, George Perles, Nick Saban, Williams and Morris Watts, who served on an interim basis.
Despite its lack of stability or success, Michigan State has not done enough to keep its loyal fans away. Spartan Stadium usually packs 70,000-plus fans whether the home team -- or head coach -- is doing well.
That's another reason why Mason didn't need to hire the most-popular coach, he needed the find the right one.
Originally published Friday, December 20, 2002
. I'm sure I've heard that from U of M fans about a million or so times.
