1. Quarterback
Obviously we have quarterback at No. 1 because it’s the position that everyone has been talking about this spring. This is the most intense quarterback battle in East Lansing since 2013 when Andrew Maxwell and Connor Cook battled it out. Ever since then, the starter has been relatively assumed.
- 2014: Cook
- 2015: Cook
- 2016: Tyler O’Connor
- 2017: Brian Lewerke
- 2018: Lewerke
- 2019: Lewerke
- 2020: Rocky Lombardi
- 2021: Payton Thorne
- 2022: Thorne
Before that 2013 quarterback battle, it was Kirk Cousins versus Keith Nichol in 2009. Every time there’s been a legit quarterback battle, it has yielded great results. The Maxwell-Cook battle led to a golden era for MSU football and same with the Cousins-Nichol showdown.
Let’s hope this battle between Katin Houser and Noah Kim is the same way.
The presumed leader before fall camp was Kim because of his experience and time in the system, but Houser wasn’t too far behind and may have made up the ground necessary to be neck-and-neck, at least.
Mel Tucker has made sure to say Sam Leavitt is also in the battle, but I’d be shocked to see him pass up Kim and Houser in his first season. It’s possible, but not likely.