Michigan State football doesn't have a quarterback controversy.
Because the next move seems obvious and non-controversial: Payton Thorne should start when the Spartans play at Maryland a week from now.
Thorne, a redshirt freshman, replaced Rocky Lombardi on Saturday in an ugly 24-0 loss against Indiana. Lombardi struggled something awful against the Hoosiers, throwing two interceptions and fumbling on a hand off before getting yanked. Lombardi has now thrown seven interceptions in three and a half games.
You can't win turning the ball over that much.
So MSU coach Mel Tucker turned to Thorne.
And he should stay with Thorne, at least for a week, to see what he can do.
"There's no position set in stone on this team — the quarterback position or any other," Tucker said.
This season already is a lost cause for MSU. Tucker took over a team in the middle of a pandemic and didn't get to implement his system on the field in the spring. What could it hurt to give Thorne a full week of preparation as the starter?
It would give the coaches a great chance to evaluate Thorne for the future.
Just to see if he can be the guy.
"We were inconsistent with both guys in there," Tucker said. "We would have some good plays and then we were inefficient."
