The team went 4-8 last year amidst the firing of head coach Mel Tucker for sexual harassment of a university vendor. Days after suffering a 42-0 drubbing to Penn State on rivalry weekend, MSU announced the hiring of Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith along with what Smith calls "a village" from his previous school and alma mater. 

Six of Oregon State's on-field coaches followed Smith to East Lansing: secondary coach Blue Adams, running backs coach Keith Bhonapha, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Lindgren, offensive line coach and run game coordinator Jim Michalczik, defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa and tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator Brian Wozniak.

Smith also brought in Minnesota's Joe Rossi to head the defense and former MSU defensive back and NFL secondary coach Demetrice Martin to coach the secondary. 

Three high-profile, offensive pieces followed Smith from Corvallis to East Lansing, most notably 18-year-old starting quarterback Aidan Chiles, a former four-star recruit. Tight end Jack Velling and center Tanner Miller, two upperclassmen with years of starting experience, also followed Smith as day-one starters for MSU. 

If the Spartans want a winning season, they'll need to show they're clearly the better team Friday. If they struggle to put out FAU, they will do so against almost every other team on their schedule. Friday is Michigan State's first opportunity to prove it has something to it, to begin climbing out of the hole it's been in. 

Scouting FAU

FAU was in a similar spot as MSU last season, going 4-8 and 3-5 in the American Athletic Conference. The Owls are led by experienced college head coach Tom Herman and former Marshall quarterback Cameron Fancher, who threw 21 touchdowns and 17 interceptions before transferring to FAU this offseason. He also rushed 757 yards and five touchdowns, adding another element of offense for MSU to counter. 

Recently, FAU has been a team that plays up to its opponent. After practice Tuesday, Rossi said he was impressed with how the Owls were able to move the ball last year against Clemson. Also, when FAU played Illinois, it was able to put on an impressive defensive performance. 

"That tells me that, number one, they got players who rise to the challenge," Rossi said after practice Tuesday. "And number two, they got a really good coaching staff, so they present a lot of challenges."

Gameday Approach

After practice Tuesday, offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said the coaching staff has the first and second lines of the depth chart laid out, but fans should expect frequent rotations as the first game tends to be more experimental in finding the best spots for players. The offensive line will likely see seven to eight guys and there are five or six well-developed wide receivers, he added. 

Coaches have mentioned avoiding 'chasing ghosts' against FAU. Lack of game film makes some aspects of preparation more difficult, like how to combat opponent tendencies and tactics.

Defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, who will coach from the box on Friday, stressed the need for execution against the Owls. He said Jack Gibbens, a linebacker for the Tennessee Titans, gave him advice: "don’t talk too much."

"You can cloud peoples' minds when you talk to them too much," Rossi said. "We might give (the players) a blurb, but they got to go play."

Rossi said coaches plan to use a variety of different signals, boards and indicators for play-calling purposes. 

A New Team

With 61 new faces on the field, building from the ground up is a challenge for any team. Players say the returners and newcomers have gelled nicely and the energy in the building has shifted towards Smith's "low ego, high output" culture. 

With players and coaches coming from Oregon State to face the higher-level teams in the Big Ten, they're excited to see what this MSU team is made of and are looking forward to competing. Though this MSU team won't be the flashiest, Miller said when the game gets tough and the guys have to grit it out, the players have the mental capabilities to do so and the team is in a good position with a solid grasp of offensive concepts.

"I like to feel the energy of the crowd, kind of be where my feet are, and enjoy the moment," Miller said. "Not get too high, don’t get too low, just keep it steady."

With practically a brand-new team, MSU can earn a fresh start in 2024 with a win Friday to kick off the Smith era.