John L. Smith, quoted in the Detroit News, afer yesterday's loss to Illinois: "Apparently I don’t have the answer." The question? How to get his players to practice hard and be ready for the game. Smith said he knew all week that his guys weren't prepared and he couldn't snap them out of it. Is this his fault? It has to be partly, but John L. has coached successfully at other places, you'd think he can get a team up for a game. But not the Spartans. Based on my experience from playing on a team that just didn't seem to care enough to win, maybe there's nothing he can do. But that doesn't matter. Too many excruciating losses have fans and alumni angry and looking for a scapegoat.
So how is this going to play out? I'll tell you. MSU loses it's next 2 games against superior teams, but the calls for Smith's head get louder. The Spartans can't pull enough wins out of their last 5 games and don't make a bowl game. Smith is fired. Smith's recruiting gains go out the window, along with his high-octane offense. MSU begins its coaching search, which turns into a pathetic circus. At the end MSU has an unexciting new coach and a new offense, as well as a slew of soon to be broken promises. Spartan football goes into rebuilding mode and is set back a decade. Dire? Maybe, but that's the path this program is on. There's no easy solutions and a new sheriff won't be able to clean up EL overnight.
So that's where the Spartan players are. They hold the next 10 years of the program in their hands right now. Turn your season around and save football at MSU, or bequeath their successors a legacy of losing. Make your choice.
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