Michigan State football: Playing time odds for 2022 class offensive signees

Dearborn Fordson's Antonio Gates Jr. celebrates after a touchdown against Livonia Churchill on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021, in Dearborn.Preps
Dearborn Fordson's Antonio Gates Jr. celebrates after a touchdown against Livonia Churchill on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021, in Dearborn.Preps /
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Katin Houser, QB

QB room:

Losing: Anthony Russo
Returning: Payton Thorne, Noah Kim, Hamp Fay

Katin Houser (No. 226 nationally, No. 15 QB) is the highest-rated Spartan offensive commit from this class. Unfortunately for him, Payton Thorne emerged as QB1 for the Spartans last season, with a record-setting performance.

As an early enrollee, Houser should make some noise this offseason. While it is highly unlikely that he takes the job from Thorne, he can make a push against Noah Kim and Hamp Fay to take over a spot on the depth chart. Kim and Fay were both buried on the depth chart last season, with neither throwing a pass — QB2 is a wide-open battle amongst these three, and all of them will have a full offseason to stake their claim.

Prediction

Houser slots in at QB3 for the Spartans. I expect him to impress the coaching staff, but with a junior starter, a redshirt might be the best case for Houser. I firmly expect him to receive a fair chance running the offense at the spring game, as well as some looks late in the season-opening games against Akron and Western Michigan.

If Thorne goes down (knock on wood), this can be revisited. Until then, expect the Spartans to keep this weapon under wraps.