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With Cook at the helm, Terry, O'Connor continue to improve in preseason camp

August 5, 2014
<p>Junior quarterback Connor Cook talks to the media during Football Media Day at the Huntington Club of Spartan Stadium. Coming off of a 13-1 season and a Rose Bowl victory, the Spartans are due to kick off the season Aug. 29. Danyelle Morrow/The State News</p>

Junior quarterback Connor Cook talks to the media during Football Media Day at the Huntington Club of Spartan Stadium. Coming off of a 13-1 season and a Rose Bowl victory, the Spartans are due to kick off the season Aug. 29. Danyelle Morrow/The State News

Photo by Danyelle Morrow | The State News

Unlike the beginning of last season, there's no battle between the MSU quarterbacks for the starting spot — junior Connor Cook has it firmly locked down after his impressive 2013 campaign. 

Though there's little chance of the quarterback rotation changing before the opening game against Jacksonville State, Football Head Coach Mark Dantonio spoke highly of backup quarterbacks Damion Terry and Tyler O'Connor at the annual football media day at Spartan Stadium on Monday. 

“Both those guys are very good football players, strong arms, both bring a little bit of something different to the game," Dantonio said. "I think they’re both Division I BCS quarterbacks so it’s exciting to have Damion here and Tyler, and we’ll see who shakes out best at the end of fall camp. They got to get scrimmages under their belt, got to see how they perform under pressure." 

Quarterbacks Coach Brad Salem said a unique thing about Cook is how fast he appeared to improve last season. As Cook gains experience, O'Connor and Terry gain a leader who from which they can learn from. 

O'Connor saw action early last season, splitting reps with Andrew Maxwell and Cook before Cook won the starting job outright. 

Terry, the No. 3 quarterback entering training camp, is recovering from shoulder surgery, though he is slated to be ready before the opener. The coaching staff is in no rush to bring him back.

"I think the one thing is just all the quarterbacks understanding how they can help each other," Salem said. "Obviously Connor has the experience of playing last year and just had opportunity to play so he can study himself."

Salem called O'Connor a guy who has improved everyday. But the intrigue surrounding Terry remains fairly strong. 

Salem pointed out that Terry is younger than the other quarterbacks on the roster, and patience is necessary to see the promising signal-caller make good on his potential.

"I think he understands the growth that needs to be made everyday last season," Salem said. "You see him hunger now a little bit, and ask him questions, just the things you've seen him change from spring camp to now. It's a maturity process and quarterback's a hard position."

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