Tyler O’Connor ready to lead Michigan State Spartans

Beloved Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook is now off to the NFL. Although, the Spartans haven’t named his successor, it seems like it is one quarterback’s spot to lose.

After three seasons, the Michigan State Spartans are entering the 2016 college football year with a quarterback not named Connor Cook.

The Spartans released their preseason depth chart on during the first day of Big Ten Media Days–July 25. On that preseason depth chart, it says that Michigan State doesn’t have a clear-cut No. 1 signal caller and head coach Mark Dantonio isn’t ready to name one yet.

Senior Tyler O’Connor is listed as the co-starter along with junior Damion Terry on the preseason depth chart, with redshirt freshman Brian Lewerke, freshman Messiah deWeaver and sophomore Colar Kuhns following behind them.  

However, if you have followed the Spartans last year, the quarterback with the inside lead in the competition is O’Connor. And Dantonio’s comments during Big Ten Media Days made it clear that it’s O’Connor’s spot to lose as of right now.

“Tyler, obviously, is in the lead right now,” Dantonio said.

O’Connor has the most experienced out of all the signal callers vying for the starting position in East Lansing, Michigan. The Lima, Ohio native was the catalyst in Michigan State’s victory at Ohio State last year when Cook sat the game out due to a shoulder injury.

Despite being the catalyst in the win over the Buckeyes, O’Connor did split reps with Terry during that game. Which is promoting the quarterback competition.

The last time the Spartans entertained a quarterback battle, it was all the way back in 2013. That competition came down to Cook and Andrew Maxwell. And it was a prolonged battle, as Cook finally took control of the job in the Big Ten opener. Which doesn’t seem likely in to happen this time around.

“We’re going to keep pressure on our quarterback position and our quarterback coach, Brad Salem,” Dantonio said. “I think that’s the thing to do right now. Not dependent on one guy. Not to say, ‘Hey, he’s our guy.’ That will be defined through August camp and early in the season. But we’re going to give people opportunities.”

Whomever Dantonio and Michigan State decides to go with, they will have to be successful on obvious passing downs.

The Spartans were a run heavy team last season.

Michigan State’s running game didn’t really turn out a lot of double-digit rushes. But it did consistently produce four and five yard gains–its average last year was 4.6 yards per carry. However, when it didn’t churn out those four or five yards, Cook was there to pick up the slack.

When the Spartans were in a third and seven or more situation, Cook produced eye-popping numbers. In those certain situations, Cook was 45-for-79 for 766 yards, six touchdowns and only one interception. That was good for an outstanding 160.9 passer rating.

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Now, looking at — the obvious leader — O’Connor’s playing experience, he has stepped up in those type of downs. In his career, O’Connor is 10-for-16 for 162 yards on third and seven or more downs. Also, going back to O’Connor’s outing against Ohio State, he completed seven of his 12 passes for 89 yards and one touchdown while posting a 148.1 passer rating in adverse weather.

While O’Connor has the experienced edge, his competitor Terry is very athletic.

The 6-foot-3, 220 pound quarterback has a strong arm and has the ability to escape pass rushers and juke defenders with his running ability.

However, it still seems unlikely that O’Connor losses this competition. He has patiently waited his turn in East Lansing and he has emerged as a leader for this Spartan team this past spring.

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“I think Tyler has done a nice job to just continue to emerge as a leader,” quarterback coach Brad Salem said after Michigan State’s spring game. “He’s a guy that makes people better around him.”

With O’Connor more than likely replacing Cook as the man under center in East Lansing, fans of the green and white are hoping the senior who is only 34-for-54 for 374 yards and four touchdowns in his career can sustain the success that Michigan State has maintained over the past several years.