Puh-lease:

Despite two straight disappointing losses and rising fan criticism, university officials remain confident in football head coach John L. Smith and say his job is not in jeopardy.

MSU followed a fourth-quarter collapse against Notre Dame two weeks ago with a 23-20 Homecoming loss to Illinois on Saturday, after which Smith admitted he didn't fully prepare his team to play. The team sits at 3-2 with its next two games against Top 10 teams.

"A lot of coaches have lost two games," MSU Trustee Joel Ferguson said. "We lost one game by three points and another by three points. He's an excellent coach."

Athletics Director Ron Mason did not return a phone call Monday and was out of the office Tuesday. Mason told his staff that mid-season evaluations would not be made, said John Lewandowski, MSU's associate athletics director for communication.

Ron, there's more than Smith's legacy on the line here. Your ass is in this too. I know Mason will never publically slag off the guy he handpicked for the job, but sooner or later ya gotta cut your losses.

Regardless of how the season plays out, university officials maintain Smith's job is secure at least through the season.

"We got a lot of games ahead of us, and it seems to me that we all need to focus on the season in front of us," Trustee David Porteous said.

"That's where my focus is, and I hope where everybody's focus is."

A call to Simon's office was directed to university spokesman Terry Denbow, who supported Porteous' statement.

"You don't evaluate personnel in the middle of their activities," he said. "You evaluate programs after seasons. You don't evaluate coaches after games."

Normally I'd agree, but anyone who thinks the situation will improve in any major way by the end of the season is utterly delusional.

When asked about Bobby Williams, Smith's predecessor who was fired with three games remaining in the 2002 season, Denbow said: "We've talked about the reasons why (Williams was fired). I will never comment on comparisons between personnel, ever."

Lewandowski said comparing the situations was "comparing apples to oranges."

Williams had a career record of 16-17; Smith's record at MSU is 21-20.

Gee, great improvement on the record. Say what you will about Bobby Williams -- and believe me, I'm the last person to defend him as a coach -- but the guy was one hell of a recruiter. Has John L. Smith recruited a single great player? No. Things are getting worse, not better in East Lansing.

At Monday's press conference, Smith elaborated on his post-game comments and laughed when the comparison to Williams was brought up.

"We have the answers," he said. "I wasn't able to get them to focus on the correct answers at the time."

Because you're a shitty coach, that's why you couldn't get them to "focus."

We're screwed. MSU football is in the middle of its Lions-esque slide into total oblivion.

See you in Ann Arbor on Saturday. I'll bring the Asprin.