Current State talks with Current Sports host Al Martin about Spartan football leading up to Saturday’s game at Ohio State. Maryland quarterbacks have thrown 14 touchdowns in their nine games but also have 25 interceptions as well.
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Stat of the game: Today’s number to know is 32 – as in the number of plays MI State ran from Terrapins territory in the first half alone.
MI State senior QB Connor Cook (throwing shoulder) says he will play next week against Ohio State. “I think if we would have chosen to run the football, he could have hung in there”, Dantonio said.
MI State Spartans (8-1) are coming from a controversial 39-38 loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers last week.
Kings Jr. was somehow able to haul this Connor Cook pass in with one hand even though there was tight coverage and the ball appeared to be out of reach. Locksley talks a lot about how he’s tailoring the offense to Hills’s strengths in his second go-round as starter this season, so the decision to focus more on Hills’s arm instead of his legs is a bit of a head-scratcher.
“I was about as caught off guard as you guys were”, O’Connor said. Eventually we may have to take him out of the “stock up” category, because his stock really can’t get much higher than it is right now. MI State tacked on another field goal before the end of the half and held a commanding 17-7 lead despite great defensive efforts by Maryland. The University of Central Florida’s 20 picks thrown this season was the second most in the nation before the games on November 14. His backup, Tyler O’Connor was 6 of 11 for 44 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The game is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
“I thought our football team played extremely well on defense – pressuring the quarterback”, Dantonio said.
Maryland turned the ball over on five different occasions, including quarterbacks Caleb Rowe and Perry Hills both tossing interceptions.
“Being here at MI State has kind of transformed me into a little Lions fan”, he said. Left tackle Jack Conklin was being beaten several times by Yannick Ngakoue, who’s looking to become Maryland’s single season sacks leader.
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And though Cook is expected to play at Ohio State in a game that could produce the Big Ten East champion, any shots to that right shoulder could be fatal to the Spartans’ championship hopes.
