QB Nichol transfers from OU to MSU

From NCAA College Football Information & Resource

May 26, 2008

Quarterback Keith Nichol will be a Spartan after all.

Ex-Oklahoma reserve quarterback Keith Nichol announced last week that he will be donning the green and white jersey of Michigan State.

Nichol, a native of Lowell, Michigan, will now be transferring to MSU which is just an hour's drive away from where he attended high school at Lowell Senior High.

"It feels really good; to be able to have my family and friends come to my games is going to be nice," Nichol said. "Coming back home is a dream come true."

A 4-star rated quarterback in high school, Nichol originally commited to play college football at Michigan State only to change his mind after the Spartans gave former head coach John L. Smith the pink slip. He eventually signed up for a chance to play at Oklahoma where he engaged in a three-way battle for the starting spot eventually won by fellow freshman Sam Bradford. As the 2007 season expired, Bradford led the nation in pass efficiency and firmly got a hold of the QB-1 position after a record-setting year.

Nichol on the other hand, was relegated as a third-stringer, and ended up seeing action in only three games with a combined production of 2-for-7 completion for 15 yards.

With his transfer, Nichol will have to sit this year out under NCAA transfer rules, although he will still have three years of eligibility remaining. The eventual departure of senior Brian Hoyer after the 2008 season will give Nichol a legitimate shot at the starting position next year. He will likely compete with redshirt freshmen Nick Foles and Kirk Cousins at MSU. The Spartans did not sign a playcaller last February but already has an oral commitment from a three-star recruit, Andrew Maxwell, for 2009.

"I've never been afraid of competition," Nichol said. "Having those recruits doesn't affect my opinion or decision."

MSU coach Mark Dantonio, who was not allowed to comment about Nichol's transfer until the QB got his official release, said that Nichol was not obligated to transfer to MSU after commiting to them a few years back.

"We allowed him to make a decision," Dantonio said. "We didn't pressure, we didn't keep banging on it and we tried to do it with self-respect for us as people and this program and also respect for his family."

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