The forecast predicts that the high will be 34 and the low will be 19.

MSU Gymnastics hosts annual Green & White intrasquad meet

EAST LANSING– Michigan State women’s gymnastics is set to host the Green & White Meet, another opportunity for fans and supporters to see the Spartans prepare for the impending, exciting, and very competitive season ahead. The intra-squad competition serves as an important early indicator of success for the team; it allows the coaching staff to gather information to finalize their competition lineups and routine compositions, and to allow each gymnast to build their confidence heading into the official season.  For the gymnasts, this event is their first opportunity to showcase upgraded skills, perform under pressure, and compete in an authentic competition setting. MSU will focus on clean execution and landings on vault and floor, consistency across competition lineup, rhythm while performing bars and beam, with a strong emphasis on accuracy to reduce deductions. Also, the leadership of returning and strong performances of new collegiate competitors. Michigan State Women’s Gymnastics- Green & White Intrasquad Meet, set for Dec. 13 at 1:00 p.m. at Jenison Field House, will give fans their first look at the Spartans as they showcase routines and prepare for the upcoming season. 

The struggles behind Jonathan Smith’s tenure at MSU

Jonathan  Smith’s era at Michigan State is officially over after the university parted ways with the head coach earlier this week. His short, unsuccessful tenure lasted just two years and ended with a 4-20 record in East Lansing, affected in part by disciplinary actions tied to the program’s probation. For Smith, though, a long list of problems ultimately led to his firing. The beginning On Nov. 25, 2023, Jonathan Smith was named the 26th head coach of the MSU football team following six years at Oregon State, where he elevated the program and gave fans hope he could do the same for the Spartans. Smith took over a messy program still dealing with the aftermath of Mel Tucker, leaving him with significant work to do. Although he wasn’t unfamiliar with rebuilding jobs, this challenge was on another level. The recruitment was overall mediocre for Smith, a big reason why things didn’t work as he struggled to bring players into the program. MSU ranked 11th among Big Ten teams and 42nd nationally during Smith’s first recruiting cycle in 2024. Things got worse the second time around, ranking 12th among Big Ten teams for recruiting and 57th in the nation. A lack of success in recruiting and developing players became one of several factors behind Smith’s failed coaching stint. Lack of wins and culture. In coaching, the most important measure is winning games. The bigger the program, the higher the expectations and the less patience there is for losing — a reality Smith learned quickly. Inconsistent play on both sides of the ball contributed to a record this season that was worse than his first year at MSU. Culture has become a huge part of sports. Building a team’s identity to form a “winning culture” is something coaches preach to teams, media and fans all the time. For Smith, there appeared to be no culture or identity with his team. They were all over the place. At times this season, they were beyond disappointing, playing games like they didn’t care — a clear sign of a lack of culture and a lost faith in their head coach.

MSU students share hopes for new football coach Pat Fitzgerald

With former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald set to become the 27th head coach for the Michigan State football program, many students are welcoming the team’s rebuild with enthusiasm and hope for a resurgence with the new leader at the helm of the team. Environmental studies and sustainability freshman Zachary Kukla said he believes the release of former football head coach Jonathan Smith was premature. “I do think it was a bit soon because he’s only been here for two seasons, but we also could have won that Michigan game if different decisions were made, and other games as well,” Kukla said. “I’m kind of glad he’s gone, but also he might have just needed a couple of years to grow with the team.” Supply chain management freshman Caiden Waite said the Spartans’ last two seasons have been “devastating,” adding that it was necessary to make the coaching change after a disappointing season. Waite said one of the things he hopes Fitzgerald improves on during his debut season is recruitment and the utilization of NIL funds and the recently announced “FOR SPARTA” fundraising campaign to attract players to East Lansing.