Michigan State Football: Brian Lewerke shows confidence in game one

Michigan State football came away with a Week 1 victory over Bowling Green on Saturday, thanks to Brian Lewerke’s confidence.

Brian Lewerke’s first pass in Michigan State’s home opener against Bowling Green Saturday should’ve resulted in a large gain, but the quarterback missed Felton Davis wide open downfield. The play evoked eerie memories of last season’s offensive debacle.

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But Lewerke played efficiently overall. And though he inevitably committed miscues in his first start, he displayed glimpses of brilliance while completing 23-of-33 pass attempts totaling 250 yards and three touchdowns.

Lewerke completed just two passes in the first quarter. The offensive line provided adequate time, but Lewerke hesitated to target semi-covered receivers. However, his receivers created more space the remainder of the game, and Lewerke shifted his hesitancy to judicious aggressiveness finishing without an interception.

If any aspect of Lewerke’s week-one performance came as a surprise, it was how well he ran the ball. Lewerke ran for 69 yards on eight carries. He lacks breakneck speed, but possesses the necessary mobility and awareness to execute designed quarterback runs and produce positive yardage when plays break down.

Observant Spartan faithful know Mark Dantonio’s successful teams have capitalized on certain go-to third-down plays that consistently work (like that fullback shuffle). Lewerke and Madre London’s second-quarter option on third-and-3 seemed to potentially become one of those, when the two showed well-coordinated mechanics and Lewerke handled a defense caught off guard.

Lewerke showed tremendous improvisation, displayed most plainly by his startling forearm toss to Trishtan in the second quarter. While plays broke down and he needed to dodge tacklers, he found clear field to run while continuing to look downfield for open receivers.

How good can Lewerke become as he gains experience and minimizes mistakes? After short-arming a simpler pass on a routine slant, he followed by zipping a strike down-the-middle to Darrell Stewart for 20 yards.

Lewerke has been pronounced by coaches to be the clear starter for months, and the offensive standstill that occurred when Damion Terry entered the game for two possessions reinforced that.

Lewerke has drawn comparisons to Connor Cook, another quarterback who started as a sophomore. The most noticeable resemblance was his throw on a smash corner to Felton Davis in the end zone. Davis was not wide open but, like Cook did so well, Lewerke delivered a pass where only his receiver could make a play.

Throughout his college career, Cook benefitted from receivers he could trust to make those plays, and Darrell Stewart and Felton Davis showed Saturday that Lewerke will have playmakers to work with, too.

Most of all, Lewerke showed he is a guy that does whatever it takes to win. After all, one of his most significant plays was his touchdown-saving tackle in the first quarter after LJ Scott’s fumble at the goal line. Bowling Green is not the most formidable opponent, but Spartan fans can be assured they will watch an improved squad in 2017 led by a talented and confident quarterback.

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