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Michigan State Football: Midseason report card for 2021 Spartans

By Connor Muldowney

Michigan State's Jayden Reed, left, celebrates his touchdown against Nebraska with teammate Jalen Nailor during the second quarter on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.210925 Msu Nebraska 124a
Michigan State's Jayden Reed, left, celebrates his touchdown against Nebraska with teammate Jalen Nailor during the second quarter on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.210925 Msu Nebraska 124a /
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EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN – OCTOBER 02: Payton Thorne #10 of the Michigan State Spartans throws the ball against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers during the first quarter of the game at Spartan Stadium on October 02, 2021 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN – OCTOBER 02: Payton Thorne #10 of the Michigan State Spartans throws the ball against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers during the first quarter of the game at Spartan Stadium on October 02, 2021 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) /

Payton Thorne: A

Payton Thorne may be the most improved player on the entire roster, but anyone who watched his first-half performance against Penn State in the final game of 2020 would argue to the contrary. Thorne was always talented, but never really got a shot.

It’s wild that Rocky Lombardi was given the starting nod over him a year ago.

Thorne has been great through six games after beating Anthony Russo out for the starting job and his first seven career starts actually compare favorably to Connor Cook, Kirk Cousins, and Brian Lewerke — no, that’s not a typo. He actually has a better completion rate, more yards, more touchdowns, and the least picks of any of those guys through seven starts. Unreal.

The sophomore quarterback is off to a scorching start to the year with 1,575 yards (23rd nationally), 14 touchdowns (11th nationally), just two picks, and an 82.8 QBR (10th nationally). Thorne is behind only CJ Stroud in terms of QBR in the Big Ten and you could make the argument that he’s the league’s second-best quarterback.

After a rough game against Nebraska, he’s bounced back with two career games, posting over 300 yards in each contest along with four total touchdown passes.

Thorne is really, really good.

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