EAST LANSING — Andrew Maxwell will start at quarterback for Michigan State when the Spartans take the field against Western Michigan on Friday night, according to coach Mark Dantonio.

"I think he's poised for a great senior season,'' Dantonio said. "I'm comfortable we have a No. 1 quarterback, he was our No. 1 quarterback last year.

"He had some balls dropped, we have to protect him, we have to run the football and do the things around him,'' he said. "He has great leadership skills. Like I told him today, here's the keys, bring it back full.

"I'm very confident he's going to be able to do that.''

Maxwell, a fifth-year senior, was forced to win his position after Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio declared the quarterback position open following last season's 7-6 campaign.

While Maxwell will start against the Broncos (TV: Big Ten Network, 8 p.m.), Dantonio has said he will use at least two quarterbacks in each game for an indeterminable amount of time.

Redshirt sophomore Connor Cook caught Dantonio's eye by leading the game-winning drive in the 17-16 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl victory over TCU.

Cook, along with redshirt freshman Tyler O'Connor continued to press Maxwell throughout spring drills and into the fall camp.

True freshman Damion Terry entered the mix in fall drills, and in an Aug. 17 scrimmage impressed enough to find himself in the running for playing time.

Dantonio maintained that Maxwell was No. 1 on the depth chart throughout the spring and fall, but he stopped short of declaring him the starter for the first game, indicating that the competition remained open.

In the days leading up to today's announcement, Dantonio mentioned Maxwell's experience and leadership ability as a distinct edge over the younger quarterbacks.

"I've maintained all along that Andrew Maxwell is our No. 1 quarterback and somebody was going to have to beat him out,'' Dantonio

. "So he brings knowledge to the table, experience — there's no substitute for experience.''

The Michigan State quarterback race figures to remain fluid, as all four have exhibited different strengths.

If there's one thing they can take comfort in now that fall camp is over, it's very likely the only contact they'll get from here on out will be on game days.

Dantonio, uncharacteristically, made his quarterbacks live throughout spring and fall drills, approaching the maximum amount of contact practices allowed by the NCAA in the process.



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