The 2001 Detroit Lions have returned to the state of Michigan; only this time, they reside in East Lansing.
If you remember, that Lions team had a quarterback controversy. And it wasn’t one of those “Joe Montana-Steve Young” situations where no matter which door you chose, you wound up with a first ballot Hall of Famer.
No, in this case, the city was divided on the unexciting incumbent (Charlie Batch) and the fleet-footed youngster Mike McMahon. You don’t have to be a football scholar to remember that neither of the two were destined for Canton.
Batch was slow-moving, lacked creativity, and would routinely break his fingers by accidentally smashing them on his offensive linemen’s helmets. McMahon was athletic and could occasionally pick up yards on the ground, but his passing ability was more suited for the MHSAA than the NFL. Needless to say, that ’01 group lost their first dozen games en route to a 2-14 record.
The 2013 Michigan State Spartans find themselves in a similar predicament under center.
One Corner is Andrew Maxwell
In one corner, there is Andrew Maxwell, playing the role of “Batch.” Maxwell is experienced, having started every game for the Spartans last year. He’s also a senior. Not to mention, he has been with the program since 2009. You get the point. Beyond Maxwell’s age and tenure, there just isn’t a whole lot to get jazzed about.
He was replaced in the bowl game last December when he attempted 15 throws and gained a total of 28 yards. Don’t do the math; it’s scary. He also got the hook in the season opener Friday night against Western Michigan.
Replacing him was the “Mike McMahon” of this equation, Connor Cook.
Along with their alliterative titles, both M. McMahon and C. Cook share the one attribute that fans love to see in their backup quarterbacks -- mobility. Never mind if said mobility is at all refined, or if there is a respectable passing game to pair it with. When a quarterback can pick up an occasional first down using only his lower appendages, we as fans want to anoint that gentleman leader of the free world. It’s part of pigskin lore.
Date With South Florida
The Spartans head into this weekend’s date with South Florida saddled with an uncertain, but familiar, conundrum at quarterback. It’s the classic duel.
The older, wiser, traditional signal-caller versus the younger, more spritely, double threat.
Eternal optimist Norman Vincent Peale once said, “Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution.”
A fine pearl of wisdom, indeed; but one thing becomes very clear when analyzing that quote.
He never saw this team on offense.
