Spartans select Louisville’s Smith

? Michigan State has led the Big Ten in one category during the past three decades: coaching turnover.

John L. Smith, who became the Spartans’ eighth coach in 30 years on Thursday, plans to provide the stability the football program has lacked.

“I can see this as being my last move, without a doubt,” Smith said after leaving Louisville. “You only have so many rebuilds in your body.”

Smith — who turned around Louisville, Utah State and Idaho as a head coach over the past 14 seasons — signed a six-year contract. Financial terms were not immediately available.

The 54-year-old will be asked to do what he’s done in the past at Michigan State, which is coming off its worst season in more than a decade.

“I feel blessed and honored as your coach to be here,” Smith said. “You grow up and you see Michigan State-Michigan, and you see Michigan State-Notre Dame, and you see Michigan State at Ohio State, and that’s what you get used to. And that’s the pinnacle.

“So as a football coach, this to me is like a dream come true.”

Smith’s career record is 110-60. He ranks 14th among active NCAA I-A coaches in wins.

He succeeds Bobby Williams, fired Nov. 4 with three games left in a season that was disappointing on and off the field.

Smith had a few promises for Michigan State fans.

“You are going to see a good product on the field because we are going to work hard. You are going to see a good product in the classroom, and you are going to see a good product in the community,” he said.

Asked about the mysterious “L” in his name, Smith joked that he would divulge this only once: the L stands for “Lansing.”

Smith led Louisville to unprecedented success in his five seasons, including as many bowl games (five) as the school had in its history before he arrived. The Cardinals’ five straight winning seasons were a first for the program.

Smith came to Louisville in 1998 from Utah State, where he coached for three seasons. He was Idaho’s head coach from 1989-94, and he left as its winningest coach.

Michigan State reached as high as 15th in the rankings this year, but things fell apart and the team was 3-6 when Williams was fired. The Spartans finished 4-8, their worst record since 1991.

“I’m really excited about playing for him,” Michigan State center Brian Ottney said.

Smith would not say whether he planned to reinstate quarterback Jeff Smoker, who was suspended because of a substance-abuse problem.

Williams went 16-17 overall at Michigan State.

Louisville was 41-21 under Smith, including Wednesday’s 38-15 bowl loss to Marshall.

During that game, cell phones started ringing on Louisville’s sideline during the first quarter, and word spread quickly among the players that Smith might be headed elsewhere.

“We knew about it in the first quarter. The whole sideline knew,” Louisville quarterback Dave Ragone said Wednesday. “I tried to put some water on the fire, but the guys had a lot of different emotions at that time, and it was hard to regroup.”

On Thursday, Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich criticized the way Michigan State handled the hiring.

“I think the circus that surrounded that took away from that bowl game,” he said.

Michigan State athletic director Ron Mason said the school made “informal contact,” with Smith about a month ago. Mason said he didn’t want to wait until the day after the bowl game to ask Louisville for permission to speak with Smith because of the chance that Washington State would beat Michigan State to Smith.

Smith regretted how the news spread.

“I come off at halftime and everybody knows,” he said. “It was not pretty, and I apologize for that. That was my fault. I’m sorry.”