Kirk Cousins
Encyclopedia
College career
In 2007, newly hired Michigan State head coach Mark DantonioMark Dantonio
Mark Dantonio is the current head football coach at Michigan State University. He was hired on November 27, 2006 and became the 24th head coach at Michigan State. He is credited for winning the 2010 Big Ten Championship and his 4 game win streak over arch-rival Michigan...
recruited Cousins to play for the Spartans. Cousins was redshirted
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
for the 2007 season. In 2008, he spent the season as the back up quarterback to Brian Hoyer
Brian Hoyer
Brian Hoyer is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
. He played in five games passing for a total of 310 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. In 2009, he competed for and won the starting quarterback job against teammate Keith Nichol
Keith Nichol
Keith Nichol is a wide receiver for the Michigan State Spartans college football team. He previously played for the Oklahoma Sooners.-High school career:Nichol attended Lowell High School in Lowell, Michigan...
. He led Michigan State to a 6–7 season with 19 touchdowns, nine interceptions and 2,680 passing yards in 12 games. In 2010, he led Michigan State to a 11–2 record. After the 2011 season, Cousins was named Second Team All-Big Ten by the coaches.