There was a position battle coming into the season throughout camp. Redshirt junior quarterback Noah Kim won the competition initially and started the first five games for the Spartans. In the past two contests however, Barnett decided to change his starter and roll with redshirt freshman quarterback Katin Houser going forward.

Houser has had tough shoes to fill at the position. Through two starts, he has completed 58.2% of his passes for 392 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions. Houser has taken stride, however, and has begun to come into his own as he has become more poised during games and slows down the process on the field.

“I feel like I’m taking strides everyday,” Houser said. “I feel like I’m getting more confident running the offense. Some of the mistakes I made in the first game I’m starting to improve on those and starting to correct some of those mistakes, so I feel like I’m improving every time I get to play.”

Barnett has also mentioned in the past few weeks that Houser is “their guy” moving ahead under center. For Houser, this has only improved his confidence, giving him a fresh opportunity to grow as both a player and a leader commanding the offense.

The Spartans’ last matchup was a blowout loss to the No. 2 ranked Michigan Wolverines. As a result of the way the game transpired, Barnett decided to give freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt some looks beginning in the third quarter as well.

Leavitt arrived in June after committing rather late to the program this summer. For most incoming freshmen, this may seem like a disadvantage as it is likely they miss out on key concepts and learning opportunities throughout training camp in the spring. However, Leavitt has adjusted rather nicely and has been rewarded by seeing action during a few games this season. 

For Leavitt, though, he wanted to play where he knew he had a chance to compete for a starting position and he felt Michigan State was the proper place for that experience. He was committed to Washington State prior to enrolling at MSU, but the availability of the position made the move more attractive. Since arriving early in the summer, Leavitt has kept his focus straight ahead.

“Yeah, I mean going into fall camp, like, obviously my goal is to become the starter and that’s everyday what I’m always trying to do,” Leavitt said. “I felt like I was in the mix somewhat, you know. I was at the number three spot, so I knew it was going to be a long journey. So I’m just taking it day by day, what I can do to get better in that moment and just progress from there.”

With a sense of quarterback “uncertainty” moving forward and the benching of the week one starter displayed, it isn’t crazy to think that the locker room chemistry would suffer from the coaching decisions, especially within the position room. Leavitt and Houser have said it has been the opposite for the three quarterbacks.

Both Houser and Leavitt expressed their appreciation for their teammates and how they have helped them grow both on and off the field from sharing a spot on the roster. With Leavitt being the youngest, he has learned a lot from Houser and carried a mature relationship with him.

“Yeah, we’re cool people,” Leavitt said. “He’s a really nice kid, so I meshed with him. We always push each other on and off the field, you know.”

For the younger guys, Noah Kim has also set that example as a leader even after getting benched, which Houser has greatly appreciated. 

“He’s been really helpful for me,” Houser said. “He’s kind of been in my ear, just helping me with his experience playing and stuff like that in games, but I think he’s been handling it well.”