Michigan State football has the quarterback position squared away in 2018 with starting Brian Lewerke supported by capable backup Rocky Lombardi.
Michigan State has had great success at developing the quarterback position since Mark Dantonio has arrived in East Lansing. Three active NFL quarterbacks played for Michigan State under Dantonio: Brian Hoyer, Kirk Cousins and Connor Cook. Offensive coordinator Dave Warner and quarterback coach Brad Salem have done as good of a job as anyone in the entire country developing quarterbacks.
Current quarterback Brian Lewerke looks like he could rewrite the record books at Michigan State before joining those guys in the NFL. In his first season as the starting quarterback Lewerke the 6-foot-3 215 pound signal caller threw for 2,793 yards, and ran for another 559 yards.
Lewerke finished second all time for total yardage in a single season at Michigan State accumulating 3,357 yards last season. That’s even more impressive when you take into account all the terrible weather the team played in last year. The all time record is currently held by Drew Stanton. His 3,415 yards are only slight higher than Lewerke’s season. It looks like Lewerke could shatter the record in his second year as the starter.
Lewerke is one of the few dual threat quarterbacks who possess an ability to beat a team with both his arm and his legs. He completed 59 percent of his passes last year and showed great accuracy throwing on the run and medium range and in throws. The next step for Lewerke to go from a great quarterback to an elite one will be the ability for him to consistently hit the deep throw when he takes his shot. Michigan State returns all three of their starting wide receivers from last year, all big bodied wideouts who have shown the ability to stretch the field.
Next season Michigan State returns every single starter from last years offense, except center Brian Allen who was drafted by the Rams. With the guys Michigan State has returning and the natural progression Lewerke will have going into his second year as a starter, look for him to be a Heisman trophy candidate.
During the winter and spring both coaches and players commented on how his confidence and understanding of the offense has grown so much from last season. The 30 yard throw he made in the spring game to Darrell Stewart before halftime was a beautiful throw in brutal conditions that he couldn’t have made last year. It was also a preview of the growth we will see from him in the upcoming season.
Who are the options behind Lewerke?
Rocky Lombardi a physical 6-foot-4 225 pound quarterback who redshirted last year. He is expected to be his backup quarterback this year. Lombardi is a guy the coaches have raved about since he stepped on campus. The son of a coach, Lombardi has a great mind for the quarterback position to go along with an absolute cannon for a throwing arm.
As a true freshman last year Lombardi was praised for his leadership abilities in the locker room and in the film room. He was a state champion wrestler in the great wrestling state of Iowa, and shows a real toughness that isn’t necessarily attributed to the quarterback position very often.
Last year Lombardi lead the scout team offense, so getting to finally run the Michigan State offense has been a welcome change. Lombardi flashed some of his great arm strength and abilities for the first time in front of a crowd in Spartan Stadium, including the winning throw to give the offense a win on the final play.
Being in live situations you will see an even more dangerous player when given the opportunity as he is a guy who will be able to elude pass rushers with his athleticism and strength. Look for the coaches to try to get Lombardi on the field this year to gain game experience. When he is on the field expect to see a very intelligent quarterback who can extend plays with his legs, and attack the defense with one of the strongest throwing arms you’ll see.
Next: Way-too-early college football top 25 rankings for 2018
The backup to the backup
Theo Day is a true freshman quarterback who was an early enrollee. He got a head start to his college career arriving on campus in December. It allowed the 6-foot-5, 217 pound signal caller to get a head start in the classroom as well as being able to do winter conditioning and spring ball with the Spartans. The Michigan State coaches and players were complimentary of Day’s work ethic and ability through the spring. Day is a long quarterback who has great accuracy and ability to extend the play with his legs. The plan for Day in 2018 is to redshirt him as he works with the scout team.