Quarterback Race Will Continue Throughout Preseason Camp
7/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Steve Grinczel, MSUSpartans.com Online Columnist
CHICAGO â€" Three seasons have passed since Michigan State has had to install a new starting quarterback, but the Spartans are taking measures to ensure the transition from Connor Cook to the new No. 1 goes as smoothly as possible.
Replacing Cook will be no easy task. In three starting seasons, he proved to be one of the most accomplished, productive and durable quarterbacks in school history.
Fifth-year senior Tyler O'Connor came out of spring practice as the leading contender to succeed Cook, with fourth-year junior Damion Terry and redshirt freshman Brian Lewerke in close pursuit. That should be the order entering preseason camp next month, as well.
However, at Big Ten Kickoff Media Days, Coach Mark Dantonio made it clear that he intends to let the race play out to an obvious conclusion, regardless of how long it takes.
His reasoning is sound. For one thing, he's giving full consideration to how much each of the three may have improved during the offseason. Did O'Connor open up his lead, or did Terry and Lewerke gain ground?
The evaluation will continue on a snap-by-snap basis throughout camp, with every move each one makes heavily scrutinized. Ideally, the race will be completed before the Sept. 2 opener against Furman, but Cook didn't really secure the job until the fifth game â€" the Big Ten opener at Iowa â€" of the 2013 season. The Spartans then when on to win eight straight conference games, the Big Ten Championship against Ohio State, and the Rose Bowl.
More importantly, Dantonio wants the three quarterbacks to settle the competition with their comparative performances, as opposed to prematurely naming a starter who is then forced to carry the additional burden of defending his position.
That was the case in 2012 when it was announced ahead of time that Andrew Maxwell would not only succeed Kirk Cousins, who had just led MSU to the Big Ten championship, but take the offense to a whole new level. Maxwell struggled for a variety of reasons and the Spartans finished with a 7-6 record.
A year later, Cook won a superheated battle with Maxwell, O'Connor (then a redshirt freshman) and newcomer Terry, to signal the dawn of the Spartans' winningest three-year span.
Those two scenarios provided Dantonio and quarterbacks coach Brad Salem with invaluable insight on how to get a quarterback ready to lead the offense.
"I think what I learned about that as a head football coach is don't anoint somebody and put the pressure all on one individual, because then this all comes down on one individual," Dantonio said. "I want it to be spread over the position-group as a whole, and then allow that individual within that group to come forward and play.
"I don't know that we could have prevented that (in 2012) because Andrew was the guy, clearly. But I think Andrew Maxwell had a tremendous amount of pressure on him, our receivers were young and had some dropped balls and I think everything manifested itself, and it was very difficult for him. It was hard. So, this is going to be on the position as a group and we'll play our way out of it."
O'Connor has the only start in the group, leading MSU to last season's critical victory at Ohio State when Cook couldn't play because of an injured throwing shoulder. But, Terry also played a significant role in that game and at one point Lewerke was an injury to O'Connor away from being thrust into the No. 1 spot.
"Last year, when Connor got hurt and was unable to take reps, Brian Lewerke got the reps as the three," Dantonio said. "Also that week, Damion Terry had injured his ankle in the same game that Connor went down, so he essentially took all the reps at No. 2. His performance started to increase at that point and he gained valuable experience. In the spring, he took another step forward (then) leveled off a little bit. He's a very quick study and has a great arm.
"What I've seen from all four of our quarterbacks (including true freshman Messiah deWeaver) gives me great indication, although we're going to miss Connor, that that position is in great health and as strong as it's been from top to bottom."
In 14 career appearances, O'Connor has completed 34 of 54 passes (63 percent) for 133 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Terry has played in 15 games, completing 14 of 26 (53.8 percent) for 103 yards.
"I think quarterback is about decision-making, creating and making plays," said Dantonio. "So we'll look at that as we move forward in fall camp. At the end of it all, you've got to play well in camp and you've got to play well early in the process."
The rest of the team is already rallying the yet-to-be-named new No. 1.
"Tyler O'Connor, or Brian Lewerke or Damion Terry, whoever it is, I'm not really worried," said senior tight end Josiah Price. "They have unbelievable talent. Do they have the game experience Connor had? No, they don't, but they'll be fine. Connor didn't always have that game experience his first season and we went 13-1.
"We're excited for those guys, to see who's going to be the next Connor Cook, who's going to be the guy that next year at media day you guys are going ask, ‘How are you going to replace Tyler O'Connor? He was unbelievable last season.' It is definitely an open battle and we'll see who wins it."
GoG Notes & Quotes: Outside linebacker Ed Davis, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in the first week of 2015 preseason camp, is healthy enough to return but must successfully complete his final summer class toward graduation before he can file a waiver to the NCAA for a sixth season of eligibility.
"He's almost 100 percent physically," Dantonio said. "I'm sure we'll slow it down a little bit. By NCAA rule he cannot participate early in camp until he completes that class, so it's going to be a number of days. But he'll be able to run and do the different things he needs to do, and he's played for us for four years so that's not an issue.
"He'll be ready to go. He's on track."
Senior middle linebacker Riley Bullough can't wait for Davis to rejoin the unit.
"Ed's a great athlete, he's extremely physical, athletic â€" all the things you want in a linebacker," Bullough said. "To have him back would help our defense a lot."
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Tight end Dylan Chmura has elected to retire from football for medical reasons, thus ending his collegiate playing career.
"He will be with our program as a student-coach, and he'll be an asset to our football team going into his senior year," remarked Dantonio.
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Sheldon White, former Detroit Lions vice president of pro personnel and interim general manager, will serve as a program consultant for the MSU program during the upcoming season.
"The information came available that he was interested in staying involved in football for this particular season," Dantonio said. "Whether he remains in college or goes back to the NFL is in question, but I saw an opportunity to get somebody involved from a higher level that could be a consultant, that could be a guy that could analyze various things in our program and could be an asset, a role model for us, impact our players and give us an NFL perspective on things from a standpoint of how of how they do things to how they evaluate personnel to evaluating our personnel.
"All the things (he brings) and the contacts that he has in the NFL is a win situation for us, certainly, and a win situation for him, hopefully. He started (Monday), so he'll just be making his way through but he'll add to our program."
