The MSU football team awoke Wednesday morning to find head coach John L. Smith would be relieved of his duties at the end of the season. But the players didn't get the news from Smith himself.

Smith addressed the team at about 2:45 p.m. By then, rumors of his firing had already leaked to the media.

"Everybody knew by noon," senior center Kyle Cook said at a press conference Wednesday night. "Officially, we didn't hear until 1:30, when we heard on the TV."

Smith seemed upbeat during the press conference, but the players were clearly upset. Cook tapped his feet and repeatedly wiped his face as he waited his turn to field questions, and junior running back Jehuu Caulcrick's voice was on the verge of breaking as he leaned into the podium.

"It's an unfortunate situation," Caulcrick said. "We're all taken by surprise by it. The guys on the team ? some people didn't even find out about it until friends back home called."

After Smith addressed the players, practice began at 3:30 p.m. Cook said it was awkward at first, but as the day wore on, the players forgot about the situation and went to work. Once practice came to a close, though, they remembered the program's future is again in limbo.

Perhaps it was easier for the fifth-year seniors to block out the thoughts of Smith's firing — they went through the same ordeal when former head coach Bobby Williams was fired in 2002. Unlike Smith, Williams was released immediately and did not coach the team's final three games.

"Us seniors have been around it and understand it, unfortunately," Stanton said. "For the other guys, we'll just try to be there for them and let them know it's going to be all right."

Smith said he's still committed to his players and will strive to get them to a bowl game at the season's end.

"What I'm going to do and what the staff is going to do — with whatever time we have left — is enjoy being with these guys, enjoy going to the field, enjoy coaching and enjoy spending time with them," Smith said.

"I love these guys, and I'm going to miss 'em. That's the hardest part about anything — it's leaving your kids."

Smith declined to comment on why he failed to produce on-field results.

"I'd rather not do that, to be honest with you," Smith said. "Let's be as positive as we can be from here on out. That's what I want to do."

Unlike Cook and Stanton, junior safety Sir Darean Adams was recruited by Smith. He said it will be strange returning for his senior season without Smith at the helm.

"I took it kinda hard," Adams said. "I didn't shed no tears, but I took it kind of hard. Coach Smith is the reason why I'm here."

Cook said MSU's next coach should share some of Smith's qualities.

"It's unfortunate this had to happen, but I believe his successor is going to be lot like him," Cook said. "He's a great man, and the coaches he brought in are great coaches. It's a shame that he had to go this way."

Ethan Conley can be reached at conleyet@msu.edu.