John L. Smith wore a happy face earlier this week at his news conference but looked tired and stressed. Who could blame Smith if he were depressed after being told last week by school officials he will not be the Michigan State football coach after this season?
Smith began the news conference by talking individually about his 16 seniors who play their last game in Spartan Stadium on Saturday against Minnesota. He smiled when he talked about one player who might be a “doctor some day” and help people in other countries. He spoke of star quarterback Drew Stanton, already in graduate school, and described him as “someone anyone would be proud to have as a son.”
What Smith didn’t want was to talk about himself. “I feel great,” he said. “Every day is a great day. Today is the best day of my life and tomorrow is going to be even better. You better keep smiling and we better keep moving on.”
How the Spartans, with their 16 seniors, will play Saturday against the Gophers is one of the most intriguing questions of the Big Ten football season. Michigan State is a team that looked like a national title contender early in the season. The Spartans knocked Notre Dame all over the field before blowing the game in the fourth quarter. The Spartans have never recovered, winning one Big Ten game and losing five including 46-21 to Indiana, a team the Gophers destroyed last Saturday, 63-26.
Smith talks about “love” and “trust” and “grunting around” with his seniors. He has been trying to help his players understand and get through the trauma of his firing. Will love, trust and all the other emotions translate into an inspired performance by Michigan State? Or will the Spartans continue to “sleep walk” through the season?
And a good question, too, is what Gopher team will show up? The one that scored the most Minnesota points in a Big Ten game since 1916? Or the team that totaled 22 points in a three game stretch against Wisconsin, North Dakota State and Ohio State?
Minnesota-Michigan State is a match up worthy of speculation by amateur and professional head doctors.