Harlon Barnett, Michigan State won't name starting quarterback vs. Rutgers

Michigan State is reevaluating its starting quarterback spot after three consecutive defeats, but interim head coach Harlon Barnett would give no hints as to who the Spartans' will trot out first this weekend against Rutgers.

At his weekly press conference on Monday, Barnett said he and MSU's staff were "still evaluating" the quarterbacks, but said the team knows internally who will be the starter on Saturday.

"It's a good competition going on," Barnett said. "It's going to be good. Guys know where they stand, what's going to happen. We'll just leave it at that for now."

Following the Spartans' 26-16 loss to Iowa two weekends ago, Barnett said the coaching staff would "watch the film very closely" during Michigan State's bye week and evaluate who should start at quarterback going forward. While the Spartans know who that guy will be on Saturday, they hope to maintain a small competitive advantage by not making Rutgers privy to that information.

"We don't want anyone to know," Barnett said. "We know what we're going to do, and we feel good about it. And so, you'll see on Saturday."

In five games as Michigan State's starting quarterback, redshirt junior Noah Kim has thrown for 1,090 passing yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 91-of-160 pass attempts (56.9%). Kim has added 53 rushing yards on 27 attempts.

In the backup role, redshirt freshman Katin Houser has completed 9-of-16 attempts (56.3%) for 158 yards and an interception. Meanwhile, third-string true freshman QB Sam Leavitt has completed both of his pass attempts for nine yards, adding seven rushing yards on two carries.

Barnett does not believe Michigan State's on-going quarterback competition, which began way back in spring practice and carried into fall camp, was causing a divide in locker room over who players believe should be the starter.

"The guys, they just want to win," Barnett said. "And they know we're going to give them the best opportunity to win — at quarterback and any other position for that matter. They're all teammates, and they all root for one another and they all know the best players play. We're all competing every day for our jobs, so I don't think there's a split in the locker room or anything like that. Guys just want to win football games. That's really all it boils down to."

Kim has struggled mightily over the past three weeks against Power Five competition, completed just 55-of-107 pass attempts (51.4%) with one passing touchdown and six interceptions against Washington, Maryland and Iowa. Michigan State has been outscored by a total of 66 points in those games. The Spartans have not scored an offensive touchdown in their last 19 possessions, 17 of which featured Kim at quarterback.

"It doesn't just boil down to the quarterback...it's all positions," Barnett said. "We show [film] where everybody could have done something better and made plays and did things. So, it's not just the quarterback. They understand that, and the quarterback is no different — the best players play. That's how we're going to do it."

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