East Lansing, Mich. – Every good quarterback seems to have that one line or phrase that they live by to achieve excellence.

And Michigan State’s starting redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne is no different.

Thorne, who reiterated on Tuesday that he wasn’t happy with his four-touchdown performance in a 35-13 victory over Western Michigan, shared the philosophy ahead of Saturday’s Week 2 game against Akron.

“My dad always told me, ‘strive for perfection and settle for excellence,’ ’’ Thorne said. ‘So that’s kind of what I live by.’’

While many may think that the MSU QB, who was named to five preseason watch lists, is being too hard on himself after throwing for 233 yards and just one interception in the first game of the season, Thorne doesn’t see it that way.

And he doesn’t feel uncomfortable with being called, a perfectionist.

“I remember, I had an art teacher in sixth grade,” said Thorne. “I still remember this somehow, she called me that, she said ‘you’re a perfectionist, you need to not be so detailed’ but I was like, ‘well, I don’t know, that’s just how, that’s how I’m wired, I guess.’”

Thorne’s pursuit of perfection may have been born out the advice of his father, who lined up across from his son as WMU’s offensive coordinator last Saturday but it’s Thorne who has been striving to put those words into action during his development in East Lansing.

“I watched the film on Friday night when I got home and I watched it again Saturday. After a game, you watch it at least twice, you watch it by yourself usually and you watch it with coach,’’ Thorne said. “I thought we did some good things throughout the game. I thought we had some good big plays, shots down the field but I was disappointed with the deep balls that I missed. I just put it too far out there for the guys. My feet were a little messed up on one of them and I just missed on the other one. That was frustrating, just a couple of misses … I wasn’t doing that in (fall) camp and in the summer but just got to correct that and move forward with it. I just gotta be more consistent once we get rolling (during the game).’’

Thorne’s pursuit of excellence will continue this Saturday when the No. 11 Spartans (1-0) continue their mini-MAC tour, hosting Akron (1-0) at 4 p.m. (BTN) at Spartan Stadium.

“You do get frustrated sometimes when things don’t go your way but I feel like that’s what you should always be striving for is to be perfect’’ said Thorne, a two-year letterwinner who’s already thrown for 30 touchdowns in 17 career games. “In the game of football will you ever be perfect, probably not. There’s very few guys who’ve ever had a perfect game and even in the games where you do go 15-for-15 there’s probably a little something you could have a done a little better. I guess that’s just how it is.’’

Thorne’s approach is something that head coach Mel Tucker made special mention of in his weekly press conference on Monday. An approach you get the sense that Tucker would like all of his players to have in their preparation and execution.

“It (didn’t) surprise me when he (came) up here (to the podium) right after the game (vs. WMU) and (said) he was disappointed in his performance because he’s a perfectionist. That’s just how he is, it’s never good enough. If he misses a throw, he holds himself accountable for that and if he tries to do too much, same thing. I like some of the things he did (on Saturday against the Broncos) but he’s got some room to improve just like everyone else out there. He’s going to do that. I don’t think there’s anyone that’s more determined than him about playing great, winning football.

“I know what he’s made, I know how he’s going to compete, I know how he’s going top approach this week. He motivates me at how bad he wants to get better.’’