Tyler O’Connor (7) will be the Spartans starting QB. Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio made official what was suspected: Fifth-year senior Tyler O’Connor will be the Spartans’ starting quarterback for their Sept. 2 season opener against Furman.
“I think Tyler O’Connor is our starting quarterback right now, he’s the No. 1 guy,” Dantonio said Monday. “He’s had a good enough camp to say that right now, but will the other guys play? Possibly, but he’s our No. 1 guy.”
O’Connor was expected to be the successor to Connor Cook. O’Connor has started only one game at Michigan State, but it was a critical one. With Cook out due to an injury, O’Connor completed seven of 12 passes with one touchdown pass and no interceptions in a 17-14 upset of then-No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 21, 2015.
Michigan State is No. 12 in the preseason Associated Press rankings.
A backup to O’Connor has not been determined.
“That remains to be seen right now as we move forward, but I think Damion (Terry) right now,” Dantonio said. “But it remains to be seen a little bit. We want to try to figure that one out as we go.”
In a total of 14 games for the Spartants, O’Connor has completed 34 of 54 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions.
