Michigan State Football: 10 bold predictions for 2019 season

3. Brian Lewerke bounces back for All-Big Ten season

Remember sophomore Brian Lewerke? He was a menace for opposing defenses, finishing the 2017 season with 2,793 yards through the air with 20 touchdown passes and only seven picks while rushing for another 500-plus yards. He could do a little of everything to hurt opposing defenses, but he took a step back in 2018.

Injuries and a lack of confidence took their toll on Lewerke as he sat back and watched Rocky Lombardi take over in the latter part of the season — but it didn’t help the offense much.

Lewerke soaked in all the hate and negativity on social media and looked like a shell of his former confident self. But this offseason has worked wonders for him in regards to his shoulder getting back to full strength, his confidence returning and Cody White even stated that his quarterback’s “swagger” is back.

That’s great news for the Spartan offense.

That offense has actually beaten the defense in both preseason scrimmages, which is a big deal given how elite the defense is, and he looked much crisper and more accurate this spring. He’s been getting rave reviews from coaches and teammates and was just named captain for the second year in a row — an area where he feels he’s taken major strides as well.

All of this progression will lead to a career year for the senior quarterback as he passes for 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns with less than 10 interceptions. On top of that, he’ll add 500 rushing yards once again and five more scores on the ground, making a push for the All-Big Ten first-team.