The two starting quarterbacks at the two Big Ten Conference universities in Michigan are from in and close to DuPage County, northern Illinois. Starters at both the University of Illinois and Northwestern University (NU) are from out of state.
Michigan State QB
Naperville Central High School
Michigan QB
Nazareth Academy
Payton Thorne, 6-2. 210 junior, is the starting quarterback at Michigan State University and J.J. McCarthy, sophomore, is the starting quarterback at the University of Michigan. Both teams will play their final regular-season games Saturday, Nov. 26. Michigan, 11-0 overall and 8-0 in the Big Ten, is rated nationally No. 3 behind traditional season-ending opponent, No. 2 Ohio State, 11-0, and 8-0. Michigan State, 5-6 and 3-6, requires victory over host Penn State, 9-2 and 6-2, Saturday, Nov. 26 to receive a postseason bowl invitation.
Thorne, from Naperville Central, is the third in a three-generation football family. His father, Jeff Thorne, played for his father, John Thorne, at Wheaton Central and was the head coach at North Central College, (NCC) 2015-2021, after serving as offensive coordinator at NCC, 2002-2014. Jeff Thorne started out as coach at Wheaton Warrenville South High School, 1994-2001. Jeff Thorne was in his first season this year at Western Michigan University as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Payton Thorne’s grandfather, John, was head coach at Wheaton Central/Wheaton Warrenville South, 1980-2001, and head coach at North Central, 2002-2014, and was succeeded by son, Jeff Thorne. North Central is rated No. 1 in D-III in the Nation this season under first-year head coach Brad Spencer. Jeff Thorne led NCC to the 2019 national championship.
McCarthy, from Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park, just east of DuPage County-Cook County, line, is a 6-3, 196 sophomore. He was offensive player of the week in the 19-17 victory against Illinois, Saturday, Nov. 19. Tommy DeVito, Illinois quarterback, is from Cedar Grove, N.J.. Two NU QBs are from out of state.