MSU notes: O'Connor, Lewerke continue QB shuffle
EAST LANSING – There is a certain level of irony in Tyler O’Connor being called into the game to spark a sputtering Michigan State offense.
He did just that Saturday in the Spartans’ 54-40 loss to Northwestern, just three days after the fifth-year senior learned he would be demoted to second-string and redshirt freshman Brian Lewerke would make his starting debut.
“It was a tough pill to swallow initially,” O’Connor said. “But the way I look at it, things can always get worse. … I’ve been in the coming-off-the-bench role for quite a while now, so I was ready for that.”
O’Connor finished 13 of 21 for 281 yards with three TDs and an interception. Lewerke was 12 of 19 for just 99 yards, a score and no picks. MSU didn’t announce who would start at quarterback until Mark Dantonio told the Big Ten Network broadcast crew just before kickoff.
Moments later, Lewerke trotted out and took his first snaps as a starting quarterback, becoming the first redshirt freshman under center since Stephen Reaves in 2004 against Central Michigan. Fifth-year senior O’Connor had started the first five games.
“I thought both guys possibly did some good things,” Dantonio said, “both guys obviously did some things they’d like to have back. We’ll look at it and evaluate it.”
Make it stop: Northwestern 54, Michigan State 40
Lewerke, who played just one drive in his college career entering Saturday, received a huge ovation from the Spartan Stadium homecoming crowd. The 6-foot-3, 202-pound native of Phoenix, Arizona, delivered a perfectly placed pass to R.J. Shelton for 33 yards on third-and-8 of the game’s first drive.
On MSU’s second possession, Lewerke accounted for all 39 yards. He had a 24-yard scramble on the first of the three-play drive, then threw his first college TD pass. Lewerke executed a play-action fake handoff out of the shotgun, slid to his right and lofted a 15-yard touchdown pass over the defense to tight end Josiah Price.
Lewerke went 5 of 7 for 73 first-quarter yards. He passed for just 6 yards and was 3 of 7 in the second quarter, also taking a sack in the end zone that resulted in a Northwestern safety.
“This is my first meaningful game-time since I’ve been in college,” Lewerke said. “It’s a lot different when the guys are actually allowed hit you.”
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MSU’s offense went stagnant, and O’Connor replaced him early in the third quarter. The fifth-year senior launched an underthrown deep ball on his second pass that Shelton juggled while slowing down and spinning around before snagging it out of the air for a 59-yard touchdown.
O’Connor fumbled after being pressured on MSU’s next drive, but the Spartans got the ball back on a punt. He then faked a handoff and launched an in-stride deep ball to Shelton for their second 86-yard touchdown connection of the season. All of a sudden, MSU was back within 33-31.
O’Connor threw an interception, his second turnover, to end the next drive. He recovered by finding Donnie Corley for a 9-yard touchdown with 7:10 to play. The conversion failed, and MSU trailed 47-37.
Dantonio didn’t commit to who will start next Saturday at Maryland (8 p.m./Big Ten Network). Co-offensive coordinator Dave Warner said junior Damion Terry also remains in the starting mix.
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BULLOUGH BACK: Middle linebacker Riley Bullough (right shoulder) started and played for the first time since the Spartans’ win at Notre Dame on Sept. 17. The senior captain finished with 12 tackles after missing MSU’s last three games.
“I’m sore, but everyone’s sore,” Bullough said. “So I’ll be getting a lot of treatment.”
INJURY UPDATE: Junior Malik McDowell, who spent much of his day at defensive end, continually left the field and returned with a number of bumps and bruises. That included a left arm issue in the first quarter and problems with his ribs in the second quarter.
Safety Montae Nicholson, defensive tackle Brandon Clemons and offensive lineman David Beedle were among those who left Saturday’s game.
The Spartans had a number of other players dressed who either missed or were injured during the loss to BYU: redshirt freshman defensive tackle Raequan Williams, offensive lineman Kodi Kieler and linebacker Byron Bullough all played; cornerback Darian Hicks did not.
Junior Star linebacker Jon Reschke (left ankle) missed his third straight game and his fourth this season. Sophomore safety Grayson Miller (undisclosed) also did not dress.
SACK DROUGHT ENDS: McDowell and cornerback Josh Butler combined on a sack late in the second quarter, which ended MSU's 10-quarter drought without one. The last came against Wisconsin on Sept. 24. MSU’s drought spanned 172 minutes, 42 seconds of football and the untimed overtime period at Indiana.
NEW STARTER: True freshman Justin Layne, just two weeks after making his college debut at wide receiver, got his first career start at cornerback. The Cleveland native returned his first career interception 43 yards for his first career touchdown, but he also blew an assignment on Northwestern’s wide-open, 57-yard touchdown pass from Clayton Thorson to Flynn Nagel early in the third quarter.