Big Ten Football: Will John L. Smith Follow in Saban's Footsteps to SEC Success?

Michigan State fans had to roll their eyes a bit today as Arkansas announced the interim replacement for Bobby Petrino, who was fired last week as a result of a lying and cheating scandal.  The choice was John L. Smith, a man well known in East Lansing and the rest of Big Ten country.

Smith moved slowly up the coaching ranks and held jobs at Idaho, Utah State, and Louisville before joining the Spartans in 2003.  Michigan State fans were hungry for success after watching Bobby Williams waste away all the program momentum Nick Saban grew in the late 1990s.

But Smith was not going to deliver success.  On the contrary, he would become known for having good teams that would consistently steal defeat away from the jaws of victory.

The tenure started well thanks to QB Drew Stanton, as an 8-4 start had Spartans fans thinking the big time was near.  Then the wheels fell off in 2004 as Michigan State failed to go to a bowl game.

In 2005, one of the defining games of the Smith tenure was at Ohio State following a strong 4-1 start.  Dominating for most of the first half, the Spartans held a 10 point lead with the ball in the Ohio State red zone at the end of the half. 

However, a botched running play with no timeouts led to a rushed field goal attempt that was blocked and returned for a touchdown.  Ohio State never looked back and ran away with a 35-24 victory that would propel the Buckeyes to another Fiesta Bowl and cause a Spartans collapse to 5–7.

Then in 2006 came a disastrous come-from-ahead loss to Notre Dame after holding a three-score lead in the middle of the fourth quarter.  A surprising loss and postgame fight with Illinois put the writing on the wall, and blowout losses to Michigan and Ohio State sealed Smith's fate.

And thus ended the tumultuous John L. Smith era in East Lansing. 

In addition to making opposing Big Ten fans happy on a weekly basis after the 2003 season, Smith was the most entertaining quotable coach on a weekly basis.  Here are some "John L." classics:

November 2004 after locking up a losing record before a final game at Hawaii: "We have to go out to Hawaii and try to win a game.  The two weeks leading up to the game will not be like a bowl game.  It's like a penalty we have to serve now and its like a penalty for the coaching staff."

December 2004 after losing that game at Hawaii: "We get to go out this year as losers, so we're a bunch of losers."

October 2005 after Ohio State field goal block at halftime: "That's a dang coaching mistake! The kids are playing their tails off and the coaches are screwing it up!" (Outstanding video)

The same game in the post-game interviews: "This loss today goes to the coaches. It should say Ohio State won the game but the loss goes to the coaches."

September 2006: Following the loss to Notre Dame and the shocking loss to Illinois, Smith smacks himself in the face to poke fun at Charlie Weis and says "We didn't get the kids prepared to play the game." (More great video)

November 2006 after losing the final home game of his tenure to 4-6 Minnesota to lock up another losing season: "We had plenty of chances and we couldn't convert. That has really been the story of our season."

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With Arkansas returning a ton of talent and being pegged as co-favorites to win the SEC, which would likely lead to a National Championship game appearance, quotes like this do not look good from the new head man. 

Smith does have repertoire with some of these players after serving as special teams coordinator from 2009 to 2011, but will he rein in the personalities well enough to avoid the mutiny of 2006?  If Big Ten coaches other than first-year head coach Pat Fitzgerald could make Smith look silly in 2006, why would the high level of coaching talent in the SEC be any different?

Just ask any Big Ten coach who has faced Les Miles, Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, or Mark Richt recently: these guys can coach circles around the unprepared head man.  Even if John L. Smith has learned from his mistakes off the field, it is a lot to ask for him to find success after five years well away from big-time head coaching.

Smith does have a great QB returning to lead the offense in Tyler Wilson.  But his four year tenure at Michigan State coincided with the great Drew Stanton and did not amount to the success a pro caliber quarterback like Stanton should bring to the table.  So will Wilson suffer the same disappointing finish that Stanton had before heading to the Detroit Lions?

The schedule starts with two virtual warm-up games against Jacksonville State and Louisiana Monroe, but then Alabama comes calling in Week 3.  If the Razorbacks are to take the next step and win a West Division title, beating the Crimson Tide at home will be a must with tough road games later at Texas A&M, Auburn, and South Carolina.

Can John L. Smith do the unexpected and have his first true successful season as head coach since being at Louisville in 2002?  The odds may be against him, but the ride should be a fun one to watch.

If the unexpected happens and Smith ends up the National Championship Game, then Michigan State and Big Ten country may indeed be the cradle of SEC coaches. 

Don't hold your breath, Razorbacks fans.  You may end up smacking yourself in the face.