Quarterback starter still up for grabs?

EAST LANSING – Depth Chart Day brought a lot of changes for Michigan State.

Yet the starting quarterback job remains up for grabs.

Tyler O’Connor and Brian Lewerke are listed as co-starters Tuesday after splitting time during MSU’s 54-40 loss to Northwestern. That relegates junior Damion Terry to third string on paper when the Spartans travel to Maryland on Saturday (7:30 p.m./Big Ten Network).

Mark Dantonio, however, did not rule Terry out of that mix to play. MSU’s 10th-year coach said the junior “had a little hand issue” before the Northwestern game and was held out.

“We’ll see how the practices work out this week and we’ll make some determinations as we go,” Dantonio said, adding that he expects it to be a game-time decision Saturday.

Couch: WMU football paddling toward a perfect season

For the second straight week, MSU did not make any of the quarterbacks available to the media. Dantonio said he spoke to all three of them, but wanted to keep his conversations “in house” to “make sure everybody was in good shape mentally.”

Dantonio told the quarterbacks Thursday that Lewerke was starting against Northwestern. O’Connor relieved him in the third quarter.

“Obviously, I was nervous at first when he told me, but I was able to think about it and process what I would be doing out on the field Friday night and (Saturday) also,” Lewerke said after the loss. “When I went out there, I wasn’t too nervous, I knew what I was doing. I would say (the decision) is week to week. Whoever has the hot hand that week is probably going to get the start.”

That’s not the only movement on the depth chart for the Spartans (2-4, 0-3 Big Ten), who are in the middle of a four-game losing streak.

Malik McDowell is now starting at defensive end after the junior played almost exclusively there for the first time in his college career Saturday. Senior Brandon Clemons’ transition back to defense means he replaces McDowell at defensive tackle next to Kevin Williams.

Couch counter-take: On the future of MSU's football program

Vayante Copeland no longer has a hold on the starting cornerback job, with the sophomore listed as co-starter along with redshirt freshman Josh Butler. One of them is expected to line up opposite true freshman Justin Layne, the converted wide receiver who received his first college start at cornerback Saturday.

Mike Panasiuk is now up to No. 2 at defensive tackle, and fellow true freshman Josh King is now second-string at defensive end behind Demetrius Cooper. Their classmate Trishton Jackson also is No. 2 at flanker receiver behind senior R.J. Shelton, while true freshman Thiyo Lukusa is listed as second-string right tackle behind Miguel Machado.

“We’re gonna obviously have some depth chart moves as we go through this,” Dantonio said. “I don’t think there’s any question that that happens. You gotta continue to press on, there’s gotta be focus. But there also has to be pressure – not bad pressure, but pressure, not stress, but pressure – on our players to perform as well.”

Injury report: Dantonio gave two injury updates that aren’t good for his already-depleted Spartans.

Linebacker Jon Reschke (left ankle) will remain out for at least a few more weeks, and MSU could shut him down for the season. Dantonio said there could be consideration to pursue a medical redshirt season for the junior.

“I guess that's something that we have to talk about when he comes back,” Dantonio said. “I’m not sure when he'll be back. He's not going to be back in the next couple weeks. That is probably the likelihood. He’s been an outstanding player for us.”

Dantonio also said sophomore offensive lineman David Beedle is out for the Maryland game after suffering a left leg injury early in Saturday’s fourth quarter. That moves junior Dennis Finley into the No. 2 spot at left guard behind redshirt freshman Tyler Higby.

Finley’s slow progress from a season-ending knee injury a year ago has hampered him physically and mentally, offensive line coach Mark Staten said recently.

“Dennis, I think he's to that point. I think he's ready to go,” Dantonio said. “He needs to get confident again, I think, in terms of being able to play at game time, at this level at game time. But he’s played before. He’s got the experience. We got to get him going.

Contact Chris Solari:csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@chrissolari.

Download our Spartans Xtra app for free onAppleandAndroiddevices!