Following its 31-20 loss to <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/michigan-wolverines/">Michigan</a> on Saturday, <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/michigan-state-spartans/">Michigan State</a> fell to 0-5 in conference play. Fans are growing restless in East Lansing, and some of Michigan State’s most prominent voices aren’t shying away from expressing their frustration.



“It’s been hard for me to cheer for my Michigan State Football team,” Spartans legend Magic Johnson <a href="https://x.com/MagicJohnson/status/1982860315512725691">wrote</a> on X. “They are 0-5 in the Big Ten, the offense is lacking imagination, and the team overall looks uninspired.”



Johnson played at Michigan State from 1977-79. He led the Spartans to a national title in his sophomore season and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.



Johnson continued to make Michigan State fans proud at the next level, winning five <a href="https://www.on3.com/pro/category/nba/news/">NBA</a> championships and being widely recognized as one of the greatest player of all time. Johnson has given back to his alma mater over the years, donating $1 million dollar to MSU in 2011 and another $3 million several years later.



Now, Magic Johnson is hoping to see MSU’s football team step up. The Spartans are 3-5 this season and will face off against <a href="https://www.on3.com/sites/gophers-nation/">Minnesota</a> on Saturday. MSU head coach <a href="https://www.on3.com/rivals/coach/jonathan-smith-134890/">Jonathan Smith</a> is in his second season at the helm of the program.



In his debut campaign at Michigan State, Smith the Spartans to a 5-7 record. Smith hasn’t given fans much reason to believe the team is trending in the right direction this season. He’s aware of this fact and is doing the best he can to give fans something to cheer for.



“Understand it,” Smith said of fans’ frustration after the team’s loss to Michigan. “Know that we’re frustrated at the same point. We are working. These guys are working – staff, players, all of us – we are working to get this thing better. Was not good enough tonight.



“… Team meetings are definitely different than press conferences, without question. Same time, I think there’s something in regards to some consistency of approach. If I felt like there was a lack of effort going on, I’d be pretty pissed off at that, but I don’t feel that in any way in our guys.”



Michigan State hasn’t finished a season above .500 since 2021, when <a href="https://www.on3.com/rivals/coach/mel-tucker-132206/">Mel Tucker</a> led the Spartans to an 11-2 record. The team finished the season ranked ninth in the AP Top 25. Jonathan Smith hopes to return Michigan State to its former heights.

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