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Michigan State Football: Mark Dantonio Says Starting Quarterback a “Game-Time Decision”

By Colton Wesley

Oct 1, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio walks his team onto the field before the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Indiana Hoosiers beat the Michigan State Spartans by the score of 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio walks his team onto the field before the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Indiana Hoosiers beat the Michigan State Spartans by the score of 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan State head football coach Mark Dantonio offered no indication on Tuesday of who his starting quarterback would be on Saturday against Maryland.

Mark Dantonio is unlikely to announce a starting quarterback for Michigan State‘s Saturday game against the Maryland Terrapins anytime soon. The head coach said at his Tuesday press conference that it will “probably be more of a game-time decision” after the Spartans “see how practices go this week.”

Both redshirt freshman Brian Lewerke and fifth-year senior Tyler O’Connor are listed as starters on the depth chart.

Dantonio did not limit potential changes to the quarterback position, saying that Michigan State is “going to have some depth-chart moves.”

“There has to be pressure, not bad pressure, on our players to perform,” he said.

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Lewerke was pulled from last Saturday’s 54-40 loss to Northwestern in his first career start. He had completed 12 of 19 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown through nearly three quarters but led the Spartans to only ten offensive points and gave up a safety.

O’Connor, who had started the first five games of the season for Michigan State, stepped in and was much more productive, completing 13 of 21 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns, but he also threw an interception and lost a fumble.

Michigan State had both Lewerke and O’Connor listed as potential starters going into Saturday, as well as junior dual-threat Damion Terry. Terry, who replaced O’Connor in the Spartans’ 31-14 loss to Brigham Young two weeks ago, did not play against Northwestern and is listed as a backup this week.

The Spartans’ defensive depth will likely be challenged against Maryland as well, as linebacker Jon Reschke missed his second straight game on Saturday and guard David Beedle left with an injury. Both star defensive lineman Malik McDowell and safety Montae Nicholson left Saturday’s game with injuries before returning. Defensive lineman Raequan Williams and linebacker Riley Bullough both returned to action on Saturday after missing time in previous weeks.

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The Spartans will take on Maryland at 7:30 on Saturday in College Park, Md. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.

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