Coming into this season, he didn't know if he'd even get a snap, but sophomore quarterback Damon Dowdell has made the best of a bad situation.
In the preseason, Dowdell was second on the depth chart. But with junior Jeff Smoker as the starter, things didn't look promising for the 6-1, 211-pounder from Detroit.
But following the indefinite suspension of Smoker on Oct. 24, Dowdell has slowly blossomed into a bona fide Big Ten signal caller.
"I think Damon has done a terrific job," senior right guard Paul Harker said. "It's been real nice to see how much he's acclimated to the situation.
"I wouldn't say it's surprising as much as it's pleased me. We recruited him here for a reason."
But until Dowdell's performance last Saturday against Indiana (3-7 overall, 1-5 Big Ten) critics questioned MSU's reasoning. He finished that game 17-of-25 for 203 yards and four touchdowns with a fifth coming on an 8-yard scramble.
Considering his four passing TDs tied an MSU record and the TD scamper dropped jaws throughout Bloomington, Ind., it's no surprise those same critics are now firmly planted on the bandwagon.
Regardless, Dowdell remains the same soft-spoken young man he was as a backup.
"I'm just trying to take it and do the best I can do with it," he said of his newfound success.
Dowdell may not be the typical outspoken leader that most envision a quarterback to be. But MSU interim head coach and offensive coordinator Morris Watts said that fact isn't stopping Dowdell from leading the Spartans on the field.
"He did a really good job with his choices," Watts said of last Saturday's game. "He made the right decisions and got the ball where it needed to go.
"He definitely has a future in this program."
And if Dowdell can continue to post numbers like he did against the Hoosiers, that future is bright.
But Watts is quick to point out that a quarterback is only as good as his surrounding cast.
"A quarterback has to have a lot of people clicking with him," he said. "It's very hard for them to do it themselves."
Ask around and the Spartans will admit that with Dowdell taking snaps they've got to work harder. But they also admit that's a good thing.
"Damon likes to scramble a lot," junior wide receiver Charles Rogers said. "We've got to find him and scramble his way. So he does make our jobs a little harder, but it's fun as well.
"We've just got to keep our heads up when Damon is in the game."
And it's not just the receivers who have to make adjustments when Dowdell's nimble feet start dancing.
Harker said at times it's difficult to block not knowing where Dowdell is. But he also said Dowdell's ability to scramble can cover up missed assignments by the offensive line.
It's that ability to make plays with his feet that has opposing defenses confused. If they drop back into coverage, Dowdell is more than capable of picking up the first down on his own and, if they shadow him, the field opens up for players such as Rogers.
"He's an excellent athlete," Purdue head coach Joe Tiller said. "We learned you better stay in front of him.
"He's a very capable and a very dangerous player."
But Dowdell's also making plays without the ball. During one of Rogers' reverses last week, it was the signal caller's block that had the star receiver bragging.
"That's the type of player Damon is," Rogers said. "He wants to do whatever it takes to win. It brings smiles to the players and it shows no selfishness in that player."
