Michigan State University Athletics
Cook Featured On Manning Award Watch List
7/23/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. â€" Michigan State fifth-year senior Connor Cook, who has compiled a 23-3 record (.885) in 26 career starts, has been named to the 2015 Manning Award Watch List.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.
The 30-player watch list features two other Big Ten quarterbacks: Nebraska's Tommy Armstrong and Penn State's Christian Hackenberg.
Cook's name now appears on four preseason watch lists for national awards: Manning Award (nation's top quarterback after the postseason bowl games), Walter Camp Player of the Year, Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and Maxwell Award (presented to college football's player of the year).
A two-time second-team All-Big Ten selection, Cook has led the Spartans to a 16-1 record (.941) against Big Ten opponents. As he enters his third season as a starter, Cook will have an opportunity in 2015 to become the winningest quarterback in school history (record currently held by Kirk Cousins, who posted 27 wins from 2009-11).
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Cook finished the 2014 season ranked among MSU's single-season leaders in touchdown passes (second with 24), passing yards (third with 3,214 yards), 200-yard passing games (tied for third with 10), passing efficiency (fifth with 149.4 rating), pass attempts (sixth with 365) and pass completions (ninth with 212). In addition, he led the Big Ten in passing (247.2 yards per game) and ranked second in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in passing yards per completion (15.2). Cook finished second in the Big Ten and 19th in the NCAA FBS in passing efficiency (149.4 rating) while ranking among the Big Ten leaders in passing yards (first with 3,214), TD passes (second with 24), total offense (third with 253.4 ypg.) and completion percentage (sixth at .581). He tied a school record, shared by Cousins and Drew Stanton, by throwing for a TD pass in 16-straight games (streak snapped at Maryland on Nov. 15). Cook threw for at least 200 yards in seven of eight Big Ten games and led the league in passing in conference games (257.9 ypg.).
In 2014, he was named one of 20 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award and one of 16 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award.
"Connor Cook heads into his third year as the starting quarterback, so he brings a wealth of experience to the table," MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said. "He's been under center for a lot of defining moments for this program, including victories in both the Rose Bowl and Cotton Bowl Classic. Connor has helped lead this program to back-to-back Top Five finishes, so that gives him instant credibility in the locker room and huddle.
"He's a big athlete, who plays with great confidence. Connor is driven to improve in all aspects of his game. He made the decision to return for his fifth year in order to graduate and take care of some unfinished business. There's no question that he has all of the physical tools to play at the next level. It's huge for us to have him back for his third year as the starter, and it's our job to surround him with great playmakers."
Cook recorded his fourth 300-yard passing game of the 2014 season and sixth of his career, completing 24-of-42 throws for 314 yards, two TDs and two interceptions as MSU rallied from a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit for a 42-41 victory over fifth-ranked Baylor in the 2015 Cotton Bowl Classic. His 314 passing yards were the fourth-highest single-game total in Cotton Bowl and MSU bowl history. In the fourth quarter, Cook connected on 9-of-15 passes for 179 yards, including scoring strikes of 8 yards to Josiah Price and 10 yards to Keith Mumphery with 17 seconds left. With 314 passing yards against the Bears, Cook became just the fifth QB in Spartan history to eclipse the 6,000-yard career milestone. His 24 completions (second) and 42 pass attempts (third) rank among the top single-game bowl totals in Spartan history. Cook's completions (fifth) and pass attempts (sixth) also rank among the top Cotton Bowl marks.
Cook and Dan Enos are the only two Spartan quarterbacks to win two bowl games as the starting quarterback (Cook: 2014 Rose, 2015 Cotton; Enos: 1989 Aloha, 1990 Sun). Cook also led the Spartans on a game-winning drive in the 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl against TCU. He has led the Spartans to three straight fourth-quarter comebacks in bowl games. In leading MSU to back-to-back bowl wins over No. 5 Stanford and No. 4 Baylor (Associated Press final regular-season rankings), Cook hit 46-of-78 throws (.590) for 646 yards (323.0 ypg.), four TDs and three interceptions. In three postseason bowl appearances (add 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings vs. TCU), he owns MSU career records for passing yards (693) and TD passes (5). He recorded his seventh straight 200-yard passing game (254 yards) while completing 16-of-24 throws and two TDs against Rutgers. He passed for 240 yards on 14-of-31 attempts at Maryland, but had his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass halted at 16.
Cook threw for a career-high 358 yards, completing 25-of-45 throws in the loss to No. 14 Ohio State Nov. 8. The 358 yards were the fifth most in a single-game in MSU history and second most against Ohio State (Jim Miller: 360 yards, 1993). Cook fired two TD passes (15 yards to Mumphery, 16 yards to Price) to tie a school record with 16 straight games with at least one touchdown pass.
He completed 12-of-22 throws for 227 yards with one TD in leading the Spartans to their second straight win against Michigan Oct. 25.
Cook went 24-of-32 passing for 332 yards, three TDs and one interception in the 56-17 victory at Indiana Oct. 18. For his effort against the Hoosiers, he was named one of eight quarterback "Stars of the Week" by The Manning Award.
Cook threw for 238 yards on 19-of-27 passing and three TDs in the 45-31 win at Purdue Oct. 11.
In the Big Ten opener against No. 19 Nebraska Oct. 4, he hit 11-of-29 passes for 234 yards, one TD (55 yards to Tony Lippett) and one interception.
Cook connected on 12-of-13 throws for 285 yards and three TDs in the season opener against Jacksonville State Aug. 29, and set career highs in completions (29) and attempts (47) while passing for 343 yards at No. 3 Oregon Sept. 6.
The Hinckley, Ohio, native enters his final season in East Lansing ranked among MSU's all-time leaders in passing efficiency (third with 141.5 rating), 300-yard passing games (third with six), 200-yard passing games (tied for third with 18), touchdown passes (third with 47), total offense (fourth with 6,216 yards), passing yards (fifth with 6,063), pass completions (seventh with 444), pass attempts (eighth with 762) and pass completion percentage (ninth at .583).
In college, Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning combined for over 25,000 passing yards and 201 touchdowns while playing in 10 bowl games and earning four bowl MVP awards. Archie was the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, while both Peyton and Eli were selected No. 1 overall.
Midseason additions to the Manning Award Watch List will be announced on Oct. 14. Ten finalists for the award will be identified on Nov. 25, with the winner announced on Jan. 13. The winner will again be selected by a voting panel, which includes national media and each of the Mannings, after the postseason bowls.
