Current MSU football players had the week off this past weekend, but a number of former Spartans carried on the program’s flag with impressive games in the NFL.
Four former Spartan quarterbacks saw playing action in the NFL this past weekend, all of which leading their respective teams to victories.
Kirk Cousins, who played for MSU from 2008-10, came in to replace an injured Robert Griffin and threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Washington Redskins to a 41-10 win over Jacksonville Jaguars.
Brian Hoyer, who wore Spartan green from 2004-08 led a fourth quarter comeback that was capped off with a 29-yard game winning field goal, lifting the Cleveland Browns over the New Orleans Saints, 26-24.
Drew Stanton, playing for MSU from 2002-06, got the start for an injured Carson Palmer. Not missing a beat, Stanton helped the Arizona Cardinals improve to 2-0 with a 25-14 win at New York Giants.
And finally Nick Foles, who played for MSU for a season before transferring to Arizona in 2008, led a fourth quarter comeback during Monday Night Football to push his Philadelphia Eagles over the Indianapolis Colts, 30-27.
The success from the quad of former Spartans didn’t go unnoticed by No. 11 MSU football head coach Mark Dantonio, who took note on Tuesday during his weekly press conference. The man who had Hoyer and Cousins as his starting quarterback for multiple seasons said he was able to watch some of the group’s games, considering it a good sign for the program to have former Spartans experiencing success at the next level.
“You've got (four) guys playing in the NFL who lead their teams to victory on Sunday at the highest level and I think that's a statement of Michigan State football,” Dantonio said. “What they have been able to accomplish individually and then as a group, just being from Michigan State.”
The success of former Spartans also can serve as a recruiting tool. Redshirt freshman quarterback Damion Terry remembered watching Hoyer play for his favorite team the Pittsburgh Steelers during the recruiting process.
He said being able to see a group of former MSU quarterbacks experience success at the next level is a huge recruiting tool and says something about what the program has become.
“Seeing them this week and all of them go out and win their games for their teams that was amazing,” Terry said. “When I heard that (Griffin) went down I tried to pull it up on my computer so I could watch that game and then I was also trying to watch all three (games) at the same time to learn stuff from them.
The offense success we’ve had here lately with the quarterbacks is really big and I definitely think for a recruit that would help us a lot.”
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