QB Tommy Schuster Looking Like An Excellent Pickup For Michigan State Football
At Michigan State's "Spring Showcase" event on Saturday, all eyes were on Oregon State transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles, and with good reason. The hype surrounding the sophomore signal-caller, a former four-star recruit who followed new Spartans coach Jonathan Smith from Corvallis, has had East Lansing abuzz with anticipation.
For the most part, Chiles looked the part on Saturday in Spartan Stadium, but another transfer quarterback who's flown more under the radar since committing to Smith and his staff out of the portal finally got the attention he deserves as well.
Tommy Schuster, a four-year starter at FCS-level North Dakota, showed why the Spartans' coaching staff valued him when he threw for 135 yards and a touchdown while completing 6-of-8 pass attempts during MSU's scrimmage.
"Tommy, he's been this way," Smith said after the spring game. "He completes passes man. He plays with poise, decisiveness, recognizes coverage really well."
Schuster connected with true freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh on the biggest play of the scrimmage, a 75-yard bomb for a score. Smith noted that the North Dakota transfer hung in on the pocket under heavy pressure to deliver the ball down the field, though Schuster didn't have to take the big hit with the defense avoiding the QBs.
"He got the deep ball to Nick down the middle of the field," Smith said. "In live football, I think he's taking a pretty good hit on that [throw], from my vantage point behind him, but he's been solid all through camp. Understands concepts, can be accurate with it, and he does — he plays with a ton of composure and competitiveness."
By every account, Chiles is expected to start at quarterback for Michigan State this coming fall, but that hasn't stopped the sophomore from watching and trying to learn from the veteran Schuster.
"Tommy's a baller, man. I like what he does," Chiles said. "When he goes out there, I watch what he does because he's so much more experienced.
"I've learned from other coaches, defensive coaches have told me I live by the gun and I die by the gun. I'm a really aggressive quarterback, like I take things that I probably shouldn't be taking. Tommy goes out there and takes what the defense gives him, and I like what he does. He just drives the ball up the field cool, calm and collected. He never gets in his head, and I really just like the fact that he's always leading this team. It seems easy for him. I like Tommy, man. Tommy is a cool dude to be around. He's quiet usually, but he's real cool."
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