Michigan State o-coordinator Jay Johnson says no timetable for naming starting QB

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson is pleased the progress being made by Payton Thorne, Noah Kim, and Katin Houser this spring. The competition is a good one, and each of the three Michigan State quarterbacks has shown improvement.

“Right now it’s a pretty competitive piece, and the guys are all doing some things,” said Johnson after practice on Tuesday. “We also know that we are looking at details, and fundamentally, we’ve all got to take some steps because I think that is going to help us be better.”

He said the reps at quarterback have been split evenly between Thorne, Kim, and Houser.  

“Basically, we do a good job of looking at it every day, the 7-on-7 reps and the 11-on-11 reps, and even after the scrimmage on Saturday, they are all within a rep or two, those top three guys – Payton, Kaitin, and Noah,” Johnson said. “I am moving them around to give certain guys certain plays that maybe they haven’t seen.  We do a lot of different situational things in our practices and I need to see those guys in those different environments. So far, it has been positive. Those guys have been competing well.”

Thorne (6-2, 210, Sr., Naperville, IL, Naperville Central) is Michigan State’s most experienced quarterback. In 29 career games (26 starts), Thorne has thrown 49 touchdown passes and has amassed just under 6,500 career passing yards. He ranks in the Top 10 all-time at Michigan State in career touchdown passes (fourth), career completion percentage (fifth), career passing yards (sixth), career completions (sixth), pass attempts (sixth), and passing efficiency (eighth).

“His knowledge is at a really high level,” Johnson said. “They all do a nice job there, but I feel like he is at that level of knowing ins and outs of everything that we are doing from the o-line to all of that. That piece is good.”

Thorne, however, is not a finished product.

“We are working on different things from him on a fundamentals and technique deal that he has really been focusing on,” Johnson said. “His experience, his command, his poise has really been really positive.”

Kim, Houser competing to be Michigan State starting QB

Kim (6-2, 185, Jr. Centreville, VA, Westfield), who earned his first letter a year ago playing in four games and throwing three touchdown passes, has picked up where he left off last season. Kim is an accurate passer with a good arm, and gives Michigan State a run threat at quarterback.

“Noah has done some very solid things,” Johnson said. “I like his run ability and he has shown some things in the run game. We’ve got to clean up some of the technique and fundamentals that we saw coming out of the scrimmage on Saturday. But that’s great because it’s fixable and he knows what we’ve got to do there. His timing as far as what he is seeing is a positive. There are a few things from an identification standpoint that will get fixed.”

Houser (6-3, 213, R-Fr., Anaheim, CA, St. John Bosco) has improved the most of any quarterback in the Michigan State program between this year and last, which is understandable given that he has now had a full year to learn the playbook.

Houser’s growth was evident in Michigan State’s first scrimmage last weekend.

“Katin has been here for little over a year now, and I really felt like he took a big step on Saturday,” Johnson said. “In some live opportunities, he did some really nice things. You hate to use the adage that it is slowing down, but it is for him, now that he has been through the installs a second or third time. I see Katin making some really good progress. He definitely has some arm talent, throws it easily, but the rest of his game is starting to follow.” 

With increased knowledge, Houser has shown a greater command in the huddle.

“Part of it is how you present yourself to the other players,” Johnson said. “I see a marked change in just how he handles the huddles, calls plays, how he handles the line of scrimmage. If you look at his comfort level in the pocket, he is more balanced, more under control. That just tells me that he is starting to come together.”

Johnson doesn’t have a timetable for making a decision at quarterback.

“I think that answer will present itself,” Johnson said. “We have not put any timeline on it at this point at all. It will present itself whenever it does. Will that be the end of spring? I have no idea.”