Michigan State Thursday hired Louisville's John L. Smith as head football coach.

Smith coached the Cardinals in their GMAC Bowl loss a night earlier. He's expected to be introduced at a news conference Thursday evening in East Lansing.

Fifty-four-year-old Smith succeeds Bobby Williams -- who was fired on Nov. 4. The Spartans' season started with high hopes -- but collapsed with embarrassments on the field and troubles with players off the field.

Smith guided the Cardinals to unprecedented success in his five seasons. He'll be asked to lead a turnaround with the Spartans -- who have been unable to sustain any success since they were a national power in the mid-1960s.

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