December 16, 2015
Cook expects to be 100 percent for Cotton Bowl
Paul Konyndyk
SpartanMag.com Associate Editor
EAST LANSING - Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook indicated at Bowl Media Day on Wednesday that he expects his shoulder injury to be fully healed in time for his team's College Football Playoff match-up with SEC Champion Alabama in the Goodyear Tires Cotton Bowl.
"From when I've hurt it, I've been pretty much limited in practice," Cook said. "I am pretty much doing everything in practice right now. I am pretty confident about that."
Senior QB Connor Cook expects to make a full recovery from a shoulder injury before Michigan State plays Alabama in the College Football Playoff.
Cook has been encouraged by how his shoulder has held up during recent practices.
"To just go out there and see how I feel, and based on how I feel to just go from there," said Cook, describing his approach to bowl practice thus far. "These last few days of practice I've felt really good, the best that I've felt since the injury. We're just going from there.
Downfield passing is essential for Michigan State's offense to score points against Alabama.
"I think it's very important, I think it's no different than most of our other games," Co-offensive coordinator Dave Warner said. "I think we go into about every game realizing that some people, if we are not able to throw the ball, have to stack the box. If we're not successful at that, I think it makes for a long day.
So we feel going in that we need to throw the football down the field and we need to have success doing so."
Cook showed the ability to carry the Michigan State offense with his ability as a passer during the four-game stretch prior to suffering shoulder injury against Maryland. Increased ground production since Michigan State's lone loss at Nebraska has helped the Spartans overcome limitations in the passing game since Cook's injury.
The Spartans will, however, could find it difficult to run the ball against Alabama, the nation's No. 1 ranked run defense.
"Not just against them, but against anyone you've got to be able to run and throw to be successful," Cook said. "They have a very talented defensive line and linebackers, obviously. Watching film, their defensive line gets to the quarterback. I'm going to have to get rid of the ball quick. The receivers are going to have to catch the ball against tight coverage, just like Iowa and just like Michigan. It's going to be a challenge for us, not just running the ball but passing the ball as well."
Cook expects to be 100 percent for Cotton Bowl
Cook expects to be 100 percent for Cotton Bowl
Paul Konyndyk
SpartanMag.com Associate Editor
EAST LANSING - Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook indicated at Bowl Media Day on Wednesday that he expects his shoulder injury to be fully healed in time for his team's College Football Playoff match-up with SEC Champion Alabama in the Goodyear Tires Cotton Bowl.
"From when I've hurt it, I've been pretty much limited in practice," Cook said. "I am pretty much doing everything in practice right now. I am pretty confident about that."
Senior QB Connor Cook expects to make a full recovery from a shoulder injury before Michigan State plays Alabama in the College Football Playoff.
Cook has been encouraged by how his shoulder has held up during recent practices.
"To just go out there and see how I feel, and based on how I feel to just go from there," said Cook, describing his approach to bowl practice thus far. "These last few days of practice I've felt really good, the best that I've felt since the injury. We're just going from there.
Downfield passing is essential for Michigan State's offense to score points against Alabama.
"I think it's very important, I think it's no different than most of our other games," Co-offensive coordinator Dave Warner said. "I think we go into about every game realizing that some people, if we are not able to throw the ball, have to stack the box. If we're not successful at that, I think it makes for a long day.
So we feel going in that we need to throw the football down the field and we need to have success doing so."
Cook showed the ability to carry the Michigan State offense with his ability as a passer during the four-game stretch prior to suffering shoulder injury against Maryland. Increased ground production since Michigan State's lone loss at Nebraska has helped the Spartans overcome limitations in the passing game since Cook's injury.
The Spartans will, however, could find it difficult to run the ball against Alabama, the nation's No. 1 ranked run defense.
"Not just against them, but against anyone you've got to be able to run and throw to be successful," Cook said. "They have a very talented defensive line and linebackers, obviously. Watching film, their defensive line gets to the quarterback. I'm going to have to get rid of the ball quick. The receivers are going to have to catch the ball against tight coverage, just like Iowa and just like Michigan. It's going to be a challenge for us, not just running the ball but passing the ball as well."
Cook expects to be 100 percent for Cotton Bowl
