MSU QB Cook credits Kirk Cousins’ example for his success

EAST LANSING, Mich. _ Four years ago he was a Michigan State freshman, awed by daily viewings of fifth-year senior Kirk Cousins preparing, performing, leading and shrugging off the outside noise.tmpplchld Now Connor Cook is that guy. And it’s impossible to think of the Cousins record he’s about to break without thinking about the lessons Cousins left him.tmpplchld “Just being a cerebral quarterback,” Cook said of Cousins, now the starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins. “He put in so much work and so much effort off the field with his preparation. Going in and watching film on his own. Watching film on his iPad in the hotel, whatever it was. It always seemed like he was doing something with his down time. It was never just relaxing, never chilling, never doing anything like that.”tmpplchld And it was a lot of winning, but if Cook can lead the No. 2 Spartans (4-0) past Purdue (1-3) on Saturday in the Big Ten opener and MSU’s homecoming, he’ll break a tie with Cousins and be the winningest starting quarterback in school history with 28 victories.tmpplchld “It’s kind of mind-blowing,” said Cook, who has lost just three games, “because when I was a freshman here I could have never imagined being in the situation I’m in right now.”tmpplchld Cook also has a chance to replace Cousins at No. 1 in MSU’s record book for completions (Cousins had 723, Cook has 505), passing yards (9,131 to 6,901) and total offense (9,004 to 7,070), and it would be an upset if Cook doesn’t get 11 more touchdown passes to eclipse Cousins’ record of 66. MSU’s top three in passing efficiency are Cousins (146.1), Gene Glick (143.5 in 1946-49) and Cook (142.7).tmpplchld So comparisons are inevitable, but Cousins and Cook are very different people and quarterbacks. MSU coach Mark Dantonio might have described that best before the season.tmpplchld “Connor has grown as a young person,” Dantonio said. “Connor is a little bit more, what would you say ... mischievous. He’s not going to take things as seriously at times _ in a good way, not in a bad way. He takes things very seriously when it comes to (practice), and he very much is paying attention to detail. He’s playful. Kirk was more _ he had more of a ‘This is what’s going to get done.’ Both of these guys were extremely successful and will both have great careers in the NFL. ... Most people are not like (Cousins). Most people don’t see the picture so early in their life.”tmpplchld Cook has benefited from playing on the best teams of Dantonio’s tenure, but he’s also regarded as a better NFL prospect than Cousins ever was in college. Cousins was drafted in the fourth round in 2012, and Cook might have gone in the first round in the spring, had he decided to go a year early.tmpplchld He’s now entrenched as a projected first-round pick _ a recent mock draft had him going No. 1 overall _ but some view a big difference between his MSU career and Cousins’ as a negative. Cousins is one of two three-time captains in MSU history, and Cook has not been elected a captain.tmpplchld A Twitter conversation over the weekend between two former NFL scouts turned into a headline on Sports Illustrated’s popular MMBQ.com site. John Middlekauf, a talk-radio host in San Francisco, tweeted: “#Sparty QB Connor Cook not being named captain is something scouts are talking about. Teammates didn’t vote for him. Not a great look.”tmpplchld Daniel Jeremiah, an NFL Network analyst, responded: “Not hearing good things.”tmpplchld Jeremiah did not respond to a phone message and a text message seeking comment Tuesday. Asked about the interaction and Sports Illustrated reaction, Cook said: “I didn’t see that. And I don’t care, either.”tmpplchld Cook spoke with some agents before the season and said he “cut it off as soon as (preseason) camp started,” leaving that process to his parents.tmpplchld He’s focused on improving his play, though his nine touchdowns to one interception and 151.5 efficiency rating through four games are strong. And as teammates proclaimed when he came up short in the captain voting at the end of camp, he’s an important voice.tmpplchld “He’s been taking that leadership role more and more serious,” senior defensive end and captain Shilique Calhoun said Tuesday.tmpplchld “He’s definitely stepped up as a leader,” senior center and captain Jack Allen said. “He controls the huddle out there, and he gets guys going. When he makes a mistake it really bothers him, and that’s something you want to see.”tmpplchld Now they want to see Cook stand alone in the category that matters most.tmpplchld “It’s got to be a huge accomplishment for him because that’s not something that’s tossed around every year,” Allen said. “It’s very, very special.”tmpplchld ___tmpplchld (c)2015 Detroit Free Presstmpplchld Visit the Detroit Free Press at www.freep.comtmpplchld Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.tmpplchld