2010 Spartan Nation Football Profile: Kirk Cousins QB #8

 Expectation: Starting QB  Height:  6’3”  Weight: 217#  2010 Eligibility: Red Shirt Junior  EXP: 2 letters  Status: Starting

 

Kirk Cousins is on the fast track to becoming one of the all time MSU greats! Photo courtesy of MSU SID

Expectation:Â Starting QB

 

Height:  6’3”

 

Weight:Â 217#

 

2010 Eligibility:Â Red Shirt Junior

 

EXP:Â 2 letters

 

Status:Â Starting QB

 

Strengths: To be frank, I was stunned and disappointed in the Spartan Nation last year. Cousins came in, won the job, and the depth of criticism he took floored me. As a first year starter, and he wasn’t that the entire year as he split time with Keith Nichol, he was great. He has an NFL arm, high IQ, and is a great football player.

 

I can tell you that Cousins worked hard this off-season, has gained weight, and improved areas of the game that he needed to. Not because he wasn’t talented, but because some things can only be learned with experience. Barring injury, Cousins will play in the NFL and could leave MSU when his time is done as one of the best ever.

 

Let’s look at one of many examples of his talent. Against Montana State in the first quarter MSU had a second and ten with 8:31 left. He had the presence of mind to keep his eyes down field and not look at the rush. He stepped up in the pocket and threw a TD strike. 

 

Weakness: Let’s look at two examples of youthful mistakes. Remember that Cousins’ biggest weakness is experience and he has no glaring issues. In the Alamo Bowl, the Spartans had a third and four with 11:53 left in the first quarter at the Texas Tech 32. He was in an area that the Spartans surely would have got a field goal. He made a throw off of his back foot and threw an interception. This cost his team points.

 

He has such a big arm, but he still can’t do that. It wasn’t the first time, and that comes with experience. Cousins often airs on the side of trying to make a play, an admirable quality that you want in a young QB. Now, he needs to and will learn to throw the ball away.

 

Another example of not necessarily weakness, but lack of experience was in the Montana State game. In the first quarter with 8:41 on the clock and having a first and ten he tripped over his own feet on a play action call. Again, it was just a learning experience.

 

Final Analysis: Cousins may not leave with all of the all time best stats, but he has a chance to be the all time best nonetheless. His upside is enormous and this past spring break he went to California to work out with the Elite 11 people. Colt McCoy, the Browns QB, and many others were there and he was THE BEST prospect. NFL scouts love what they see and he will be considerably better in 2010. In short, this high character young man is the real deal. The better news…He is a better person than QB and he is a great quarterback.

 

Next up: B.J. Cunningham