Michigan State football adds veteran QB in North Dakota transfer Tommy Schuster

Jonathan Smith landed his first in-state quarterback prospect.

No, not Bryce Underwood. Rather, someone who can give Michigan State football valuable experience at the college level and fill an immediate short-term need.

Tommy Schuster is heading from North Dakota of the Football Championship Subdivision to East Lansing as a graduate transfer. Schuster, a 2019 Chippewa Valley High product, announced his move Sunday on social media.

Shortly after, the Spartans picked up another experienced transfer in center/guard Tanner Miller, who is following Smith to MSU from Oregon State. The 6-foot-1, 287-pound native of Valencia, California, has one year of eligibility remaining.

Schuster, a 6-foot, 195-pounder from Macomb, started all 42 games over the past four seasons for the Fighting Hawks, setting UND records with 9,073 passing yards, 63 touchdowns and 843 completions. He also added five rushing scores the past two seasons. Schuster has a career 67.3% completion percentage and just 23 interceptions in 843 attempts. He was 24-18 as a starter, also playing in three games as a true freshman in 2019 to preserve a redshirt.

This season for UND, Schuster was 208-for-294 – a sizzling 70.7% – for 2,256 yards with 19 touchdowns to five interceptions. The Fighting Hawks made the FCS playoffs for the third time in his four seasons starting at QB, suffering a first-round loss to Sacramento State. Schuster was sacked four times and went 11-for-17 for 137 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Schuster was the 2018 AP Player of the Year and led Chippewa Valley to the Division 1 state title as a senior that season, completing all 14 of his passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns in the championship game victory over Clarkston.

The addition of Schuster, who has one year of eligibility remaining, helps shore up a quarterback room that lost all three scholarship players from 2023 to the portal – Noah Kim to Coastal Carolina, Katin Houser to East Carolina and Sam Leavitt to Arizona State.

Smith, hired Nov. 25 to replace Mel Tucker, brought in transfer Aidan Chiles, who is expected to be the starter this season but will be pushed by Schuster. Chiles played in nine games as a backup for Smith at Oregon State in 2023 as a true freshman and was considered the third-best player overall and top quarterback in the portal according to 247Sports.com.

MSU also added two incoming freshmen in the 2024 class with Alessio Milivojevic from suburban Chicago and Ryland Jesse from San Diego, both of whom are expected to start classes Monday as early enrollees.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.

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