o be his big chance to lead one of the top teams in the Big Ten -- but now the Spartans are under pressure to turn things

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio is being cautious with his comments about his teams quarterback situation.Its pretty easy to read between the lines.Tyler OConnor and Damion Terry are listed together atop the preseason depth chart as the Spartans enter the post-Connor Cook era. Although none of the quarterbacks on the current roster has much game experience, OConnor looks like the clear favorite to start.Were going to allow things to progress naturally at that position, but hes our leader right now, our headline guy at the quarterback position, Dantonio said Monday at media day.OConnor has made only one career start, but it was a big one. He and Terry split time last year at Ohio State when Michigan State upset the Buckeyes while Cook was out injured. The Spartans went on to a Big Ten title and national playoff appearance.OConnor attempted only 12 passes in that Ohio State game, but one of them went for a touchdown.We had all the confidence we were going to go out and win, and I felt that way. I felt that I was going to go out and perform well, OConnor said. But looking back, you look at that defense and how many guys they had drafted and how many guys playing in the NFL, are on rosters right now. It does help you, I guess, feel more confident going into the other games.OConnor competed for the starting job back when he was a redshirt freshman in 2013, but Cook ended up being the choice. Cook still had three seasons of eligibility left. OConnor faced the prospect of a long wait for his own opportunity, but he says he never gave any consideration to transferring.When you choose to go to a school, its not just the football, its the academics, its the people, its the coaches, its the atmosphere -- and youre not guaranteed that anywhere else, OConnor said. Obviously, I wish I wouldve been playing more, but at the same time, youre one play away at the quarterback position. So it is what it is. ... Ive got one year to show what I can do.Although OConnor has attempted only 54 passes as a Spartan, Dantonio does not view the fifth-year senior as any sort of neophyte.Tyler OConnors a good leader. He always has been. Hes taken that aspect of our program -- and really it doesnt start now, Dantonio said. He was in the quarterback competition in `13, so he had his opportunities. He had his time sort of to step out there a little bit. Hes not a guy thats all of a sudden is just here. Hes been heavily involved in our offense.---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtristerWalter Brown Jersey . NBA officials ruled the court unplayable in the Bucks final exhibition game on Oct. 25 because players were slipping, and the game was cancelled midway through the first period. Gordon Hayward Jersey . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. http://www.authenticcelticsproshop.com/Gordon-Hayward-Jersey/ .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. Walter Brown Celtics Jersey . 10 Texas Rangers jersey for one last time. Young formally announced his retirement Friday after returning to Rangers Ballpark, his baseball home for all but the last of his 13 major league seasons. Shaquille ONeal Jersey . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Tyler OConnors stint as Michigan States starting quarterback may be ending.At the very least, his hold on the job looks awfully tenuous.The Spartans listed OConnor, Damion Terry and Brian Lewerke together atop the depth chart for this weekends game against Northwestern. OConnor has been the starter all season, but he was replaced by Terry late in last weeks loss to Brigham Young .Michigan State (2-3) has lost three in a row for the first time since 2009, a jarring stretch for a program thats won two of the last three Big Ten titles.We dont want to have a quarterback controversy, but we need to have more production, coach Mark Dantonio said Tuesday. Thats what led to this. Need to throw the ball down the field more effectively. Thats play calling and thats execution and route running, things of that nature.Dantonio said OConnor, Terry and Lewerke would be off limits to reporters this week while preparing for the next game. Dantonio didnt go into too much detail about any specific discussions the coaching staff has had about the quarterback situation.He left open the possibility that more than one quarterback could play Saturday.Theres nothing to say that one guy will quarterback the entire day, theres nothing to say that that person wont, Dantonio said. Well make that decision based on what we see this week. Theres a case to be made for every way to go.OConnor was named the starter before the season after spending three years backing up Connor Cook . Hes averaging 195 yards passing a game, good for only ninth in the Big Ten. Dantonio has made it clear he didnt think the fifth-year senior played all that badly against BYU, but the offense has been sputtering.Terry, a junior, has never been Michigan States No. 1 quarterrback, but hes played sporadically, often entering games briefly for a change of pace with his running ability.dddddddddddd Lewerke, a redshirt freshman, has attempted four passes this season.Brian Lewerke is a young guy with a lot of talent, but he may not quite have the experience that the other guys do, Dantonio said. But I think to exclude him from this right now would be wrong.Tight end Josiah Price said the quarterbacks were rotating in practice Tuesday, and he said he has confidence in whomever plays this weekend. OConnor waited patiently behind Cook, and this season was supposed to be his big chance to lead one of the top teams in the Big Ten -- but now the Spartans are under pressure to turn things around quickly.Its tough to lose three games at Michigan State. Our expectations are high, and a lot of people werent expecting this, and its not easy. We werent expecting it either, Price said. Its tough for everyone. I do think its especially tough for Tyler and Coach D. The people in power get blamed the most.Dantonio indicated that the quarterback competition this week could be part of a larger re-evaluation that the Spartans could certainly use.Well see how it all shakes out, Dantonio said. What well do at the end of all this is well be able to sit there and say, `Whoever we put out there on the field, weve reassessed, we self-scouted ourselves, said this is this guys fault, this is this guys fault. Im not talking about the quarterback, Im talking about other people. Well look at all the different aspects of it and try to make the best decision we can.---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister ' ' '