The State News spoke with Whitfield Jr., discussing MSU quarterback Connor Cook and the work he’s putting in to prepare for the 2013-14 season.

The State News: There are photos on your Twitter page of quarterbacks doing drills on the beach. How does that help improve their game?

George Whitfield Jr.: We try to find as many ways, impactful ways, outside of the box to help affect the quarterbacks. We utilize the beach, sand and the ocean and gives these guys a different look. Their base is challenged, (and) their balance is challenged. Really try to work on their mechanics and different types of their game that allow them to go out (and) play consistent and high-level football.

TSN: After working with Cook, what do you think is his next step to becoming a top-level quarterback?

GW: He’s a very talented, big kid. He and I have been in touch for a while now. He really is very impressive, strong arm, has a natural accuracy about him. I can tell pretty much within the first 15 minutes (with him), that him and Coach Salem have done an awful lot of good things together — in my opinion, one of the top quarterback coaches in college football, Coach Salem. It’s just good just to know guys are supported and coached; it’s not like that at every campus, but you can see a lot of those things. So we really just tried to continue on the work that Coach Salem has done with him. Obviously, Connor doesn’t have an hours limit or practice limit out here, so Coach Salem will have to wait to see him when he gets back to camp. Just trying to find some consistency and some strength in his base when he’s playing — 6 feet 4 inches, kind of a wiry 6-foot-4 guy. Just needs to continue, his base supports him both when he’s being pressured in the pocket and when he’s driving to make throws in the pocket. Working to find more efficiency in his throwing motion, those are things every quarterback is seeking to do or currently working on.

TSN: Working with some of the top quarterbacks in college and the NFL, whom does Cook remind you the most of?

GW: There are parts of his game that kind of remind me of Landry Jones from Oklahoma, and again they are probably pretty ideal to each other, Landry is also about 6 feet 4 inches, about 220 (pounds). Very intuitive, but in some ways Connor is a lot on his own — he’s awfully unique. He’s certainly not done growing, you can see that. He’s as competitive a guy as some of the ones we’ve seen down here with Newton and Manziel, some small things you get a chance to see in term of temperament. Every minute he’s been here he’s had on green and white, like he’s down to the book bag to the socks, he’s so proud to be a Spartan and even some of the other guys smile when he comes up because he has all this Michigan State stuff on; I think it’s great when guys love their place that much.

TSN: Cook led the game-winning drive in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl last season, do you think Cook could step in and make an impact for MSU?

GW: Yeah definitely, he could. He’s talented and capable with that coaching staff right there behind him and with the athletes they have there in that locker room. I think it puts him in a unique position to succeed there. They have other talented quarterbacks in that room; he’s got quite a challenge. I know Maxwell has done an awful lot of great things in his career, so really Michigan State, I would say, is quarterback rich (with) those two there, and they are going to compete and battle. I wouldn’t have any cause for concern with Connor going forward and leading Michigan State or anybody else.