Jim Michalczik is following Jonathan Smith to East Lansing
Less than 14 hours after the Spartans’ football season ended, Michigan State announced that Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith is on his way to East Lansing (latest details here) and it appears – if a report from Justin Thind is accurate (and we have no reason to think otherwise) – that his associate head coach/offensive line coach/run game coordinator, Jim Michalczik, is going to follow him to Spartan Stadium.
Thind has multiple sources that have confirmed this news with him. Spartans Illustrated is working to confirm this on our own.
In the meantime, Spartan fans are ecstatic that Michigan State has figured out a way to do what Oregon State couldn’t do – keep Smith and Michalczik, a current Broyles award nominee for best assistant coach, on a sideline together.
While his title at Michigan State is yet to be determined, there is no reason to think he won’t be handling similar duties as a Spartan.
From the Oregon State website, here is his football coaching history and accomplishments:
Joe Moore Award O-line one of four finalists for nation’s top unit in 2021
No. 1 Pac-12 Conference leader for scoring offense, total offense and rushing offense in 2017
No. 1 Pac-12 leader for rushing offense and school-record 511 yards on the ground vs. Arizona State in 2016
No. 1 Pac-10 leader for rushing offense in 2003 and 2004
19 Number of 1,000-yard plus rushers behind his coached offensive lines
17 Number of times OSU offensive linemen have earned Pac-12 postseason honors
16 Number of bowl teams he has coached
7 10-plus win seasons as a collegiate coach
1,380 Jermar Jefferson’s 2018 rushing total – OSU freshman record and NCAA freshman leader
2,018 RB J.J. Arrington’s school-record rush yards total at Cal (2004)
No. 4 Final national ranking for OSU in 2000
12-0 National champions in 1991 at Miami
Outland Trophy Russell Maryland nation’s top interior lineman (1990)
132-72 Career record as a FBS (Div. 1) coach – 64.7 percent winning mark
OREGON STATE (2018-Present)
• Appointed Dec. 7, 2017 as run game coordinator/offensive line/associate head coach. Second tenure at OSU; also with the Beavers 1999-2001
• Taliese Fuaga named honorable mention All-American in 2022
• Twelve offensive linemen have earned All-Pac-12 honors since 2018
• Nathan Eldridge named First-Team All-Pac-12 in 2020 and 2021
• Eldridge selected as Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week twice during his career; Nous Keoubunnam honored in 2021, Brandon Kipper in 2022
• Lineman Blake Brandel Pac-12 All-Conference in 2019 & PFF HM All-American
• OSU offensive line during his tenure has blocked for Pac-12 postseason honorees Damien Martinez, Jermar Jefferson, Ken Simonton, B.J. Baylor and Steven Jackson
• 4,941 yards in total offense in 2019, the third-highest for a Beaver team for a 12-game season
• Offense averaged a school record 6.4 yards per play in 2019
• Jefferson matched an OSU record in 2018 for rushing for 200-plus yards twice in a single season
• Center Sumner Houston was on the Rimington Trophy Watch List (top OL) in 2018. Levengood named to watch list in 2022
ARIZONA (2013-17)
• Offensive line coach
• Coached five Wildcat teams that played in four bowl games, including 2014 Fiesta Bowl
• Pac-12 Conference leader for scoring offense, total offense and rushing offense in 2017
• Third in the nation for rushing yards per game at 309.3
• Guard Jacob Alsadek and center Nathan Eldridge earned Pac-12 postseason honors in 2017
• Pac-12 leader for rushing yards per game (235.0 yards) in 2016, including a then school record 511 vs. Arizona State.
• Guard Jacob Alsadek selected USA Today Freshman All-American and center Steven Gurrola Pac-12 Second Team.
• Three of Arizona’s top six single season rushing leaders (Ka’Deem Carey, Nick Wilson and Khalil Tate) were during the Michalczik coaching era
OAKLAND RAIDERS (2009-10)
• Offensive line Coach
• 2010 undefeated in AFC West
• Raiders ranked second for rushing in the NFL in 2010
• Tackle Jared Veldheer chosen to the NFL All-Rookie Team
CALIFORNIA (2002-08 & 2011-12)
• 2011-12 offensive coordinator/offensive line coach
• 2002-08 assistant head coach/offensive line coach
• Cal played in 9 bowl games during his tenure.
• Pac-10 leader for rushing offense in 2003 and ’04
• California was 69-45 during his tenure
• Offensive linemen earned the prestigious Pac-12 Morris Trophy (top lineman) three times.
• California had eight 1,000-yard plus season rushers during his tenure
• RB J.J. Arrington set a Cal record with 2,018 rushing yards in 2004
• Bear offensive linemen accounted for 21 Pac-10/12 Conference postseason honors and three First Team All-American accolades
• Eight Bear linemen selected in NFL Draft
• Cal line blocked for 2006 Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year Marshawn Lynch
• Running backs accounted for 1,000-yard seasons eight times
• Offensive lineman Alex Mack won the National Football Foundation’s Draddy Trophy – known as the “academic Heisman.”
OREGON STATE (1999-2001)
• Tight ends/special teams/offensive line coach
• Played in two bowl games, including winning the 2001 Fiesta Bowl
• The 2000 team ranked No. 4 in the final national polls
• Beaver offensive lineman and tight ends accounted for nine Pac-10 Conference postseason honors
• Line blocked for OSU’s all-time leading rusher Ken Simonton (5,044 yards) and future NFL standout Steven Jackson
• Current OSU head coach Jonathan Smith was the team’s QB during Coach Michalczik’s tenure.
• Coached three future NFL players
MONTANA STATE (1992-1998)
• Offensive line coach
• Five Bobcat offensive linemen earned Big Sky Conference postseason honors
MIAMI (1990-91)
• Defensive line coach
• 1991 National Champions (12-0)
• Russell Maryland earned Outland Trophy accolades/No. 1 NFL Draft pick
• 21-2 overall record.
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