Chris Solari Detroit Free Press Published 4:37 PM EST Nov 9, 2018 EAST LANSING — Three years ago, Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook injured his throwing shoulder late in the season, and coach Mark Dantonio had to figure out how to handle the situation. This season, Dantonio is again dealing with the scenario, this time with quarterback Brian Lewerke. The Spartans have three options: • Sit Lewerke and win: Michigan State held Cook out against Ohio State in 2015 and used the element of surprise, with Tyler O’Connor and Damion Terry, to orchestrate a last-second road upset. • Play Lewerke and win: Cook returned the next two weeks and played well enough to beat Penn State in a blowout and then battled through an injured right shoulder in the Big Ten championship victory over Iowa. It was clear he did not have the same zip on his passes. • Play Lewerke and lose: Cook’s ailing arm eventually proved costly, 1½ months after he initially injured it, when the Spartans were crushed 38-0 by Alabama in the College Football Playoff. Though it may not have mattered against the Crimson Tide buzzsaw, a poorly thrown interception at the end of the first half ended their best scoring chance. This leads us back to Saturday’s game between No. 24 Michigan State and No. 8 Ohio State (noon, Fox). And Dantonio is presented again with a similar, yet perhaps even more complex, conundrum. The breakdown: Michigan State vs. Ohio State scouting report, prediction Staff predictions: Will Michigan State dump Ohio… [Read full story]
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