Katin Houser is Michigan State’s next star at quarterback
EAST LANSING, Mich. (BVM) – Michigan State football, in its recent decade-and-a-half of success, has had a rich history of successful quarterbacks. Whether they only made their name on the field at Spartan Stadium, or continued that level of play in the NFL, it’s hard to argue that these players made names for themselves.
From Kirk Cousins winning the first bowl game of Mark Dantonio’s career, to Payton Thorne putting on a masterful comeback performance against Pittsburgh in the 2021 Peach Bowl, a number of talented quarterbacks have come through East Lansing.
The next one to do so just happens to be the Spartans’ highest-ever rated quarterback prospect, and he comes to East Lansing by way of Bellflower, California. His name is Katin Houser, and he is looking to become Michigan State’s next superstar signal caller.
Houser, who was originally committed to Boise State, flipped his commitment to Mel Tucker and the Spartans on June 27, 2021. He had been committed to the Broncos since April of 2021, but shortly after, received an offer from Spartans’ offensive coordinator Jay Johnson. Michigan State made a hard push for Houser, and it ended up paying off. He visited campus on June 25, and made it official two days later.
Houser is part of Tucker’s second-ever recruiting class as a head coach, and it’s one of the most successful recruiting classes in Michigan State history. It is ranked as the No. 17 overall class in the country by 247sports.com, and No. 4 in the Big Ten. Houser was ranked as the No. 212 overall player in his class.
Houser played his high school ball at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, where he split reps with another highly-rated quarterback, Pierce Clarkson. Clarkson is rated as the No. 111 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class by 247sports.com, along with being ranked in the top 10 at his position and in his state.
At St. John Bosco, Houser totaled 142 completions for 2,208 yards and 20 touchdown passes to just four interceptions. He also added 176 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
On the field, Houser can do it all. He shows fluid mechanics on all of his throws, as well as having great ball placement and nice touch on deep passes. He is a smart player who does not make many mistakes, as evidenced by his very few interceptions. He can tuck and run and has good mobility when he needs to. When he is in the pocket, he stands tall, his feet are active, and his eyes are constantly scanning downfield. He has all the tools to become a special player for years to come in the Big Ten.
In the past year, it has become a popular joke among Spartan fans to mention that quarterback Payton Thorne and Jayden Reed have been playing together since middle school. Fortunately for Spartan fans, and unfortunately for everyone else, they can continue to make these jokes. Houser will be joined by a long time childhood friend in East Lansing. Four-star wide receiver Germie Bernard, who decommitted from Washington in January, has enrolled at Michigan State. The “talented quarterback-wide receiver tandem that have known each other since a young age” jokes can continue.
Houser will still have to wait his turn before he gets a shot at starting at Michigan State, but everything is set up for him to be Tucker’s quarterback for the foreseeable future. He comes to East Lansing with high expectations and a load of potential. It’s up to him to make the most of his opportunity when the time comes, and if he lives up to the potential set by him and his coaches, he will cement his legacy with the best of the gunslingers to come through East Lansing.
