The Pac-12 essentially (if not technically) died this year. Jonathan Smith made an understandable decision to leave the Beavers for Michigan State. Everyone can appreciate why Smith felt the need to leave Corvallis. You might think Oregon State fans would be sympathetic to Smith. Yet, that’s not entirely the case. Some fans get it, but a lot of OSU fans are not going to cheer for Smith at Michigan State in the Big Ten.
John Canzano wrote this at his Substack (subscription required):
Jonathan Smith is a good football coach. I like the guy and understand the professional reasons why he left Oregon State. But I don’t think he handled his exit in Corvallis as smoothly as he could have.
Canzano pointed to a reader comment he received about Smith’s departure:
The comment section of that column is an entertaining and informative read. One reader referenced an episode of the TV show “The Office” in which Dwight Schrute professed his undying loyalty to Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.
“Would I ever leave this company?” Schrute said. “Look, I’m all about loyalty. In fact, I feel like part of what I’m being paid for here is my loyalty. But if there were somewhere else that valued loyalty more highly, I’m going wherever they value loyalty the most.”
Ain’t it the truth.
We talked about Jonathan Smith and the bitter taste his departure created for Oregon State fans on a podcast we did with Don Smalley and Zachary Neel of Ducks Wire. That podcast is below:
Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.
Check out more NFL draft coverage with the USA TODAY Sports NFL Draft Hub.