November 1, 200620 yr EAST LANSING, Mich. … (AP) … John L. Smith will not return next year as Michigan State's football coach but will complete the rest of this season, with the Spartans struggling again in the Big Ten. Smith is in the fourth year of a six-year contract that pays him about $1.5 million annually. "The performance on the field has not lived up to what we hoped it would be,'' athletic director Ron Mason said during a new conference Wednesday. ??It comes time to make a change, and that's where we're at.'' The Spartans (4-5) are coming off a 46-21 loss at Indiana and are 1-4 in the Big Ten. Smith has been under pressure at Michigan State. School officials gave him a vote of confidence after last season's losing campaign, but were looking for better results in 2006. Smith did not immediately return message.
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