Quarterback position in good hands heading into 2009

Orlando, Fla. — It’s really something when you think about it: Purposely pulling your fifth-year senior quarterback in a bowl game for an unproven backup redshirt freshman.

The game is tied, momentum is hanging in the balance and you’re possibly putting a win or loss in the hands of a guy who has spent more time shouting into a headset than to an offensive line. On purpose!

The situation would be more peculiar, almost mind-boggling, if it wasn’t the MSU quarterback situation at hand.

First, you have senior quarterback Brian Hoyer, looking for redemption after his lowest of lows, graciously allowing a season-long backup, Kirk Cousins, to take his place, even walking over to pat the Holland native on the helmet and tell him, “Just have fun.” I’m not a quarterback and I’ve never competed in a college football game (a fact that every muscle, bone and joint in my body is thankful for), but I’d be steaming like a riverboat if I was Hoyer. And if it was Terrell Owens in Hoyer’s cleats, I’d be worried about people’s lives.

Next, you have Kirk Cousins, a straight-as-an-arrow quarterback who hops around like a kid on the sidelines before coming into the game. He possesses a zip to his passes, shows confidence in the pocket and makes smart plays. He could be the future under center at MSU and on Thursday experienced the butterflies that come with knowing a major game hangs on your shoulder.

Then, you have the bold coach in Mark Dantonio, putting the game into Cousins’ hands, which are greener than his home jersey. Dantonio said the move, if only for one series, was about getting his players experience. If sweating, shaking and possibly vomiting are those experiences, I hope that one series was worth it for Cousins.

The move to insert Cousins in the second quarter brings up a few questions as MSU heads into the offseason: One, is Cousins truly a quarterback of the future? Two, is there that much of a gap between Cousins and Hoyer? And three, where does Keith Nichol fit into this equation?

There’s an old saying (and by old I mean since the dawn of football and grumpy armchair quarterbacks) that the backup quarterback is everybody’s favorite player. Until he has to play, that is.

But Cousins has done nothing to increase fears at the quarterback position heading into 2009. In short but important outings, Cousins has shown flashes of brilliance with BB-like passes to go with the ability to throw away a dead play. He hasn’t played an extended period of time against top-tier defenses, but that comes with a starting job.

And in all honestly, haven’t there been times where you’ve wondered, “Might he deserve the starting job?” Against Ohio State, when Hoyer went down with a head injury, the freshman entered the game with moxie and a touchdown pass. Thursday, he led one of MSU’s most prolific drives, going 4-of-5 for 36 yards, with the one incompletion a pass that was thrown away. Cousins likely didn’t deserve the job (in “who should be starting” situations, I abide by the coach’s decisions considering he’s watching practice while I’m sitting on my couch watching “Home Improvement” re-runs), but you can sure daydream about it.

And finally, there’s Keith Nichol, the Oklahoma transfer with three years of eligibility remaining. He couldn’t crack the starting rotation for the Sooners, but then again, his competition now owns a Heisman and a spot in the national championship game, so we’ll let that negative slide. He hasn’t seen game action this season but has been a key component of MSU’s scout team, mimicking the Big Ten’s best quarterbacks. He’s an unknown, but a solid reputation (he was a star in high school and an Elite 11 prospect) is hard to destroy without on-the-field evidence.

Asked after Thursday’s game who has the edge, Hoyer said it was likely Cousins because of his game experience. Yet Hoyer said he wouldn’t be surprised if the starter’s job was still up in the air heading into the first week of MSU’s regular season. And don’t forget, incoming freshman and Elite 11 recruit Andrew Maxwell might want to have a say in this “mess”.

There will be plenty of speculation about the position in the months to come, but this much is for sure: MSU won’t be without options under center in 2009.

Published on Thursday, January 1, 2009