Michigan State QB Payton Thorne says learning experiences will carry over to 2023

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State’s football season enters championship week still dangling in the unknown as far as the postseason goes, but the Spartans learned a little more about their quarterback in the final weeks of the regular season.

Junior signal caller Payton Thorne may not have posted the statistics he enjoyed last year when Michigan State went 11-2 and earned a victory in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, but Thorne grew in terms of leadership and toughness in 2022. 

The Spartans (5-7) are not bowl eligible. If there are not enough 6-6 teams to fill out all of the bowl slots across the nation, there is a chance Michigan State could be extended an invitation, but the Spartans would have to wait in line behind a handful of teams with better Academic Progress Rate scores. Even then, Michigan State’s head coach Mel Tucker and athletic director Alan Haller said they were unsure whether Michigan State would accept an invitation. 

Meanwhile, the Spartans resumed strength and conditioning work this week, preparing for anything. Thorne probably had to tend to a few more bumps and bruises than usual, with Penn State having landed three sacks and six quarterback hits on Thorne during Saturday’s 35-16 loss in Happy Valley. 

Penn State’s pass rush pressure wasn’t a surprise. Penn State leads the Big Ten in sacks with 37. Michigan State’s pass protection has been solid all year, with the Spartans ranking tied for fourth in the Big Ten in sacks allowed (18). But Thorne had to wade through a minefield of Nittany Lions in completing 24-of-43 passes for 229 yards, with one touchdown and a late, desperation-induced interception.

As has been the case most of the season, Thorne’s game stats on Saturday didn’t do justice to the credible performance he put forth, helping Michigan State pull to within 21-16 with less than five minutes to play.

“He’s tough,” Tucker said. “We feel like he has been getting better as a player and I think he will tell you that. He is a high-level competitor. Your quarterback has to be a No. 1 competitor, and you could see that in him.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Thorne’s seasonal numbers were down in comparison to his sophomore year in 2021. Last year, he set a school record with 27 touchdown passes (he had 19 this year). Last year, he averaged 248.7 yards passing per game (this year, he averaged 223.3).

His interceptions climbed from 10 to 11. 

“Last year we threw over the top quite a bit and that had a lot to do with us having the best player in the country in the backfield,” Thorne said, in reference to Kenneth Walker III. “So we were really good at throwing the deep ball. This year, teams are playing deeper, taking the deep ball away.”

Michigan State finished the regular season ranked No. 5 in the Big Ten in passing offense and No. 8 in yards per pass attempt. Thorne is No. 10 in the Big Ten in pass efficiency rating, with his 11 interceptions tying for the most in the conference. 

“I’m thankful for this year and everything I’ve learned,” Thorne said. “I’ve learned a lot this season.”

Thorne and the Michigan State passing attack began finding increased success attacking defenses with intermediate throws, especially over the middle, in the latter part of the season. Thorne said this was due to intel received from his teammates, including sophomore wide receiver Keon Coleman. 

“Our wide receivers talk to (opposing) DBs, Keon especially, and ask ‘What’s the scouting report on us?’” Thorne said. “They tell him, ‘Hey, our plan is to stop the deep ball.’ And you saw that this year. 

“So for me, I’ve been able to get a lot of work on intermediate stuff over the middle. I feel like I have progressed with that. That is something that will carry over into the next game or into next year.”

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Redshirt-sophomore Noah Kim (6-2, 185, Centreville, Va.) spent the entire season as Thorne’s back-up. He saw action in four games, completing 14-of-19 passes for 174 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Earlier in the year, when Thorne was having spats of inaccuracy issues, there was discussion among outside observers whether Kim could possibly overtake Thorne as the starter at some point. Thorne quelled those discussions with his late-season rally, but Kim continues to impress in practice. Tucker has said that Kim has the best arm talent on the roster. 

True freshman Katin Houser (6-3, 213, Anaheim, Calif.) is the highest-rated high school recruit in the quarterback room. He served as the No. 3 QB this fall. His field vision and swashbuckling talent are viewed as assets. His arm strength is a bit of a question mark. 

In the sometimes-uncomfortable era of the transfer portal, it remains to be seen whether the two back-ups become interested in looking elsewhere. Last year at this time, Hampton Fay was the No. 3 QB in the program, with Houser on the way in. 

Fay might have been viewed as a candidate to enter the portal last winter, but he stuck with Michigan State, competed for a QB job in the spring, fell to No. 4, and then moved to safety during August camp. Fay (6-5, 220, Hudson Oaks, Texas) landed at tight end this fall, and has received complements from the coaching staff for his progress at that position. He was on the travel roster at tight end at the end of the season.

As for Thorne, the journey continues, regardless of when the next game is played.

“We were fighting to the end,” Thorne said after the Penn State game. “That is something we do as a program. Our guys have bought into that.”