New Michigan State coach brings stability

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says first-year coach John L. Smith has brought structure to the Michigan State football program. Former coach Bobby Williams was fired in the midst of a disappointing 4-8 season that began to unravel with a 44-16 loss at Iowa. Smith had been the head coach at Louisville. He says he’s not sure what happened at the end of the season, but he says anytime there’s a coaching change made during the season, it’s uncomfortable.The Iowa defense has been outstanding and Ferentz says experience is a major factor. He says the process began last year in the Big Ten and they continue to improve.Ferentz says the offense continues to make strides and says bouncing back from a shaky start against Arizona State was a good step. He says they were rocked a little bit, and he says he was curious on the sideline to see how they would respond. Ferentz says he was pleased to see them respond.