5 takeaways from Jonathan Smith’s press conference
What did we think about Jonathan Smith's introductory press conference at Oregon State? BeaversEdge.com lists five takeaways in the article below.
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1. Jonathan Smith is authentic
Unlike other coaches who came to OSU and didn’t succeed, Smith noted early in his press conference that he isn’t about fancy slogans or gimmicks. When asked if he had a mantra for his team to follow, he said that all he was going to tell his team to be was authentic. To me, this is extremely important to Beaver fans who were fed up with Gary Andersen’s “Players make plays, Players win games” motto.
Smith isn’t flashy with what he is selling, but he is sincere about being the best person that he can be for his alma mater. It’s extremely evident to me that Smith really cares for his university and that is going to go a long way in building this program back to where it once was. My final point on his authenticity is the fact that he didn’t make any excuses as to why he couldn’t win at Oregon State. It’s evident that he has a clear plan in place about how he wants to build the program and it will be exciting to watch.
“My two college coaches were authentic,” Smith said. “They did it in drastically different ways and their personalities were different, but they were authentic and that’s going to be my style.”
2. Scott Barnes and Ed Ray’s financial are financially committed to the football program
It’s become increasingly apparent over the past decade of college football that you have to spend money to make money, and for the business known as college football, the Beavers have been lacking in that aspect.
Talk is cheap as they say, but athletic director Scott Barnes noted that the Beavers will be giving Smith all of the resources that he needs to field a staff that can make the Beavers competitive on the field once again. For a program that is desperately in need of a facelift with new people at the helm, this is a welcome sight for Beaver Nation that Barnes and President Ed Ray are financially committed to building this football program to the place where it was when Smith was a player here.
“You think about what needs to improve and first it’s the leader and now you have to put the resources around that leader to be successful,” Barnes said. “Salary pool for assistant coaches is a big deal and we are going to make a mighty investment in increasing the salary pool for assistant coaches and one that enables Jonathan to get exactly who he wants.”
OFFICIAL! Smith to Oregon State: Press Release | 5 thoughts about Smith | UW writer Q&A about Smith | Column on the hire | Twitter reaction | Assistants under Smith?
3. Oregon State is Smith’s destination job
The term destination job gets thrown around a lot in the coaching world, but I believe it’s absolutely true when it comes to talking about Jonathan Smith. This is his alma mater, a place he calls home, and a place where he wants to raise his family and be a football coach. Because of that genuine love for this place, I believe it will help him make Oregon State football relevant again.
“I always wanted to come back to Oregon State,” Smith said. “I didn’t always want to be the head coach because there are a lot of things that come with it, but as I continued to be in this profession, the thought of being in a place where it means so much to you began to grow on me. Being in this conference over the past four years, and keeping an eye on Oregon State, I started to envision being the head coach here and that’s when I was really ready to do it.”
4. Barnes saw something in Smith from the start
It’s often said that first impressions mean everything, and Barnes’ first impression of Jonathan Smith made all the difference as after the first meeting with him, Barnes knew knew that Smith had potential to be the guy. There were a lot of different reports out there about who the Beavers were going to hire and from Barnes’ body language and speech, Smith seemed to be his guy all along.
“One of the first things that struck me about him was that he was a coach that had grit and authenticity to him that fit this place,” Barnes said. “You think about all the things that go into selecting a head coach and I was so impressed with his passion and his conviction for Oregon State and what could be done, and his plan. But it starts with the man, and I was very impressed.”
5. Smith is making an impression on the team
One aspect of Smith’s press conference that I feel was slightly overlooked was the fact that he said he already had a very productive meeting with the players prior to his press conference. There are several members on the team who have decisions to make regarding their futures, and Smith’s steady hand could persuade them to return for one more season.
In addition to that aspect, Smith was also able to share his story and his vision on winning. Very few of the players on the football team were old enough to remember or see Smith as a player at Oregon State. Once he shared his story about his time at OSU, the back and forth dialogue began to flow between the players and their new head coach.
“We had a team meeting at 10 a.m. this morning and it was really really good,” Smith said. “We started with just how special this place is to me and I told them my story and how I got here and then we had some back and forth. I asked them what they thought of the place and what needs to be fixed and what is really good.”