Should he play or should he go?

Senior quarterback Jeff Smoker will walk onto the field Saturday amid many questions - the first being, should he?

His coaches think the signal caller, who was suspended last season after admitting to a substance abuse problem in October 2002, should be allowed to don a Spartan uniform again.

"Jeff has done everything we've asked," offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin said. "He knows he has a daily process."

After nearly 10 months of uncertainty and losing his starting job to redshirt freshman Drew Stanton, it wasn't until three weeks ago that Smoker was reinstated to the team. One week later, he was named the No. 1 quarterback on the depth chart by Spartan head coach John L. Smith.

"Jeff has met our expectations and gone the extra mile," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance."

But Baldwin and Smith weren't part of the football program at MSU last year, when Smoker's troubles became public.

His teammates and other students were, though, and they have varying opinions on what the signal caller's status should be.

Many players have commended their starting quarterback for exceeding work expectations throughout his comeback in spring and summer practice, including Smoker's longtime teammates and captains Paul Harker and Joe Tate.

"After what happened last year I think he's grown a lot," said Tate, a senior guard. "He's overcome a lot of obstacles, and right now he's just a more mature person.

"I think he'll be able to handle a lot more after what happened last year. I've seen a lot of growth in him as a player and as a person, as an individual especially."

Harker, also a senior guard, said he is impressed by Smoker's effort to return to the team.

"Jeff has done above and beyond," Harker said. "He's working real hard and improved his image in my eyes."

And, hopefully, fans will share that view, Harker said.

"Our fans are the best," he said. "They're positive, but I anticipate there will be some adversity on the road, some heckling."

Agribusiness management freshman Bryan Posthumus said Smoker is a talented player, and as long as he corrects last fall's problems, he should be in the starting role.

"If coach (Smith) thinks he's No. 1, he is, as long as he was able to seriously straighten himself out," Posthumus said. "It makes him a good role model for the university, if he really did kick the habit."

Some say he should play, regardless of his past.

"Everyone has skeletons in their closet, I hope the best for him," said criminal justice junior Tim Boland. "He deserves to play."

But others aren't so sure.

Jennifer Harper, a supply chain management junior, said although Smoker deserves a second chance, keeping him on the team doesn't do much for the university's reputation.

"It has a negative impact," Harper said. "It adds to the MSU party persona."

Others say his tarnished reputation makes him undeserving of playing time - especially starting.

"I lost respect for him after all that stuff," English senior Josh Pettenuzzo said. "He doesn't deserve it. He should work his way back, rather than jump right into the thick of things as the starter."

And psychology junior Ryan Schultz said Smoker's return to the gridiron sends the wrong idea to MSU students.

"What kind of message does that send to the students, that if you mess up and make a mistake, the university backs him up?" he said. "That looks bad for MSU and the Big Ten, even though he got help, this is not the best decision.

"Someone else should play."

Smoker said he isn't worried about what people think of him and is concentrating on football instead.

"I'm ready to go. I'm not too nervous or anything," Smoker said after Tuesday's practice. "I've prepared myself."

When asked how he thought he would be received by the fans this weekend, Smoker responded, "Honestly, I don't know, and honestly, I can't worry about those kind of things.

"Whether I'm received or not isn't up to me, I'm just going to take care of the things I can take care of."

Smoker also said after practice Tuesday that he has been treated well on campus.

"Everyone's been positive," he said. "People have come up to me and said hi and good luck. There hasn't been anything negative."

After 24 starts and 27 games played in his MSU career, Smoker has passed for more than 5,500 yards, 40 touchdowns and a .579 passing percentage.

Offensive coordinator Baldwin, who has been watching Smoker in practices all year, said the signal caller has what it takes.

"There's nothing like experience," Baldwin said. "And Smoker's been there."