Michigan State QB History:Post-Saban Era
This article discusses the statistical feats, coaching prowess, and quarterback legacies to come out of Michigan State University across the past two decades.
More specifically things here begin with the Mark Dantonio era.
MSU Quarterback Depth (2007-2026)
Michigan Spartans QB depth charts year by year. Starters are marked with an asterik * .
Mark Dantonio Era (2007- 2019)
| Year | QB Starter | QB Backups |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Brian Hoyer, JR | Nick Foles, FR C. Dixon, SO |
| 2008 | Brian Hoyer, SR | Kirk Cousins, FR |
| 2009 | Kirk Cousins, SO | Keith Nichol, SO |
| 2010 | Kirk Cousins, JR | Andrew Maxwell. FR |
| 2011 | Kirk Cousins, SR | Andrew Maxwell, SO P. Badovinac, JR |
| 2012 | Andrew Maxwell, JR | Connor Cook, SO |
| 2013 | Connor Cook, SO | Andrew Maxwell, SR T. O’Connor, FR |
| 2014 | Connor Cook, JR | Damion Terry, FR T. O’Connor, SO |
| 2015 | Connor Cook, SR | Tyler O’Connor, JR D. Terry, SO C. Kuhns, FR T. Vento, SR |
| 2016 | Tyler O’Connor, SR | Brian Lewerke, FR D. Terry, JR C. Kuhns, SO |
| 2017 | Brian Lewerke, SO | Damion Terry, SR R. Lombardi, FR Mikey Macius, JR |
| 2018 | Brian Lewerke, JR | Rocky Lombardi, FR T. Day, FR M. Macius, SR E. McLean, FR |
| 2019 | Brian Lewerke, SR | Rocky Lombardi, SO T. Day, FR E. McLean, FR P. Thorne, FR |
Dantonio served as an assistant coach under Nick Saban from 1995 -1999 and would choose to stay even after Saban left for LSU. He was promoted to associate head coach during Bobby William’s season at head coach in 2000.
A tenure at Ohio State would bring more recognition for Dantonio’s defensive coaching when he took a defensive coordinator role in 2001. Under Mark Dantonio, the Buckeyes were nationally ranked second in scoring defense and third in rushing defense during their 2002 National championship season.
In addition to Williams, Morris Watts and John Smith also took a go at MSU head coaching duties during the initial post-Saban years.
Mark Dantonio would return Michigan State University as head coach in 2007.
Mel Tucker Era (2020- 2023)
| Year | QB Starter | QB Backups |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Rocky Lombardi, JR | Payton Thorne, FR T. Day, SO Z. Gillespie, FR N. Kim, FR E. Mclean, SO A. Schorfaar |
| 2021 | Payton Thorne, SO | Anthony Russo, SR H. Fay, FR Z. Gillespie, FR N. Kim, FR A. Schorfaar |
| 2022 | Payton Thorne, JR | Noah Kim, JR K. Houser, FR A. Schorfhaar, JR |
| 2023 |
It’s worth nothing that Mel Tucker began his career as a graduate assistant under Nick Saban and was a part of the Ohio State defensive coaching staff back when Mark Dantonio was the defensive coordinator.
Tucker is a fairly decent coach with some inconsistencies and an unfortunate controversy that derailed his coaching trajectory later on.
MSU QB Passing Leaders
Ranking a “best spartan QB” is subjective and could ultimately depend on what actually defines “greatness” at the quarterback position. Here are some statistical leader boards for more context.
Michigan State quarterbacks ranked and sorted based on passing yards. Bowl stats included.
| Quarterback | Era | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C. Cook (12-15) | Dantonio | 57.5 | 9,194 | 71 | 22 |
| K. Cousins (08-11) | Dantonio | 64.1 | 9,131 | 66 | 30 |
| J. Smoker (00-03) | Williams | 59.3 | 8,556 | 58 | 38 |
| B. Lewerke (15-19) | Dantonio | 57.7 | 8,293 | 47 | 32 |
| D. Stanton (03-06) | Smith | 64.2 | 6,524 | 42 | 28 |
| P. Thorne (20-22) | Tucker | 61 | 6,501 | 49 | 24 |
| B. Hoyer (05-08) | Smith | Dantonio | 55.8 | 6,159 | 35 | 23 |
| E. Smith (76-78) | Rodgers | 53 | 5,706 | 43 | 32 |
| D. Yarema (82-86) | Perles | 61.5 | 5,569 | 41 | 29 |
| B. Burke (96-99) | Saban | 53.9 | 5,059 | 42 | 29 |
Notable “Best” Michigan State QBs
Kirk Cousins (2008-2011)
One standout quarterback from Michigan State who successfully transitioned to the NFL is Kirk Cousins. Cousins, who played for the Spartans from 2009 to 2011, displayed exceptional skills during his college career.
His strong arm, decision-making ability, and leadership qualities impressed NFL scouts, leading to his selection by the Washington Football Team (formerly known as the Redskins) in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Cousins enjoyed a successful NFL career, notably signing a lucrative contract with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018. His consistent play and ability to lead his team to the playoffs have established Cousins as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.
Connor Cook (2012-2015)
While not every quarterback to come out of Michigan State in the past decade has made it to the NFL, some have made significant contributions to the college football landscape.
Connor Cook is one such example. Cook, who played for the Spartans from 2012 to 2015, showcased his skills as a playmaker and led Michigan State to numerous victories, including a Big Ten Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Cook’s impressive college career positioned him as a highly sought-after prospect in the NFL, where he was drafted by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
After bouncing around the practice squads of the Raiders, Panthers, Bengals, and Lions ; Connor eventually ended up in the XFL playing for the Houston Roughnecks in 2020 as backup to PJ Walker. The contract was later terminated in April of 2020.
Brian Hoyer (2005-2008)
When discussing quarterbacks from the past decade who have earned recognition in either the College or Professional Hall of Fame,Brian Hoyer does stand out.
While Hoyer did not have a prominent NFL career like Julian Edelman of the same draft class, his contributions to the Michigan State football program cannot be overlooked.
Hoyer’s impressive college career included breaking numerous school records and leading the Spartans to a win in the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl, earning him induction into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame.
Aidan Chiles
After losing three quarterbacks to the transfer portal in 2023, Michigan State has recently announced commitment from upcoming sophomore Aidan Chiles. He has previous experience with the staff and is coming over from Oregon State with massive hype. 247 Sports has named him the number one transfer quarterback.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Michigan State in the Big Ten ?
- Yes, Michigan State University has been in the Big Teen Conference since 1949 and exists along with 13 other teams.
- Who are the current quarterbacks for Michigan State ?
- Currently Katin Houser is the quarterbacks for Michigan State University. Noah Kim who was a solid quarterback has entered for transfer in December of 2023.
- Did Tom Brady go to Michigan State?
- No, Tom Brady actually attended University of Michigan during his collegiate career.
- Who is the Korean Quarterback for Michigan State?
- Noah Kim , who played for Michigan State up until 2023, was of Korean heritage on his father’s side.
Hey, I’m a digital publisher from the Midwest, currently based in Arizona. Various web projects spanning fantasy football to beverage industries since 2019. Worker-owner in Pecan Milk Cooperative. Go Bears!