Michigan State Football: 3 most heated position battles for 2020

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EAST LANSING, MI – OCTOBER 27: Rocky Lombardi #12 of the Michigan State Spartans drops back to pass the ball during the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Spartan Stadium on October 27, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

1. Quarterback

Obviously this is the grandaddy of all position battles as Michigan State is quarterback-less for the first time in three seasons. This is probably a similar feeling to the season Tyler O’Connor was set to take over for Connor Cook — although Cook was a tough act to follow. This isn’t to say Brian Lewerke isn’t tough to follow, but his injury caused a lot of issues with accuracy.

Rocky Lombardi returns as the most experienced quarterback as a redshirt junior and while he was the favorite to win the job under Mark Dantonio’s reign, the position is wide open.

Theo Day is the next most experienced passer as a redshirt sophomore while Payton Thorne will be a redshirt freshman. Both guys are on the same level of in-game experience, for the most part, even though Day does have three career pass attempts. Will either of these guys step up to beat out the veteran Lombardi in 2020?

Mel Tucker comes in with a fresh take on the offense and he’ll likely leave this decision up to Jay Johnson who is in charge of the quarterbacks and the offense.

Next. MSU football: 5 second-year players due for jump. dark

Johnson wants the quarterback to be the CEO of the offense, so who will step up to fill that role?

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