March 12, 2007

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Mark Dantonio wants to build a foundation and likes some of the bricks he is finding as Michigan State's new football coach.

Though the first of the Spartans' 15 spring practices won't begin until next Tuesday, Dantonio has seen enough in 11 conditioning sessions at 5:45 a.m. to know he isn't starting from scratch.

"Our attitude is strong right now," Dantonio said. "But like I keep saying, we're on our honeymoon. There's going to be adversity. There are going to be growing pains. There are going to be decisions made.

"People are going to be happy and sad. It's a matter of how we all handle that."

Michigan State couldn't handle good times or bad times last season. It lost eight of its last nine games after a 3-0 start under John L. Smith.

That led to the hiring of Dantonio, who helped the Spartans win 10 games as defensive coordinator in 1999. After directing Ohio State's defense en route to a national title in 2002 and leading Cincinnati to two bowls in three seasons as head coach, Dantonio is embracing a tough challenge.

To do that, he said he isn't using a depth chart for instant stability or wrecking the whole existing program. His plan is to provide opportunity and let character and talent determine the rest.

"We want to build relationships and trust, implement the system and evaluate the ability, character and work ethic of every player on the team," Dantonio said of a daily grading process.

"To say we have a first-team quarterback or a first team linebacker doesn't send the right message to our football team. Every position is up for grabs. Certainly, some guys have proven their worth. We've watched the game films. But we'll make those assumptions as we move forward."

Dantonio said some position shifts are already happening, with tight end Dwayne Holmes and linebacker Jeff McPherson moving to the fullback position Smith never had.

But over five weeks of spring drills, Dantonio would love to find a player or two like linebacker Julian Peterson and receiver Plaxico Burress, the stars of Michigan State's 1999 team.

"We want to find the impact player, then feature him," Dantonio said. "If you don't have a 4 (Burress) or a 98 (Peterson), you try to get everybody else to play up. Everybody has talents. We need to find those players. And they'll come, either from within or outside. Some of those guys are made. Some of those guys are found. But we'll get there."

One of those could be junior quarterback Bryan Hoyer, who thinks the team has enough talent and potential leaders, starting with himself.

"People like Kaleb Thornhill, Otis Wiley, Jehuu Caulcrick, Javon Ringer and me, we're all trying to be leaders for this team," Hoyer said. "I want people to know I'll lead this team through thick and thin. In tough situations I'll be a rock, someone they can lean on."

Dantonio said he thinks Michigan State's talent might rank somewhere in the middle of the Big Ten, though he hasn't scouted every team thoroughly. And he wouldn't be surprised if there is some attrition after spring ball.

"The biggest surprise is that players have stepped forward in a united way," Dantonio said. "That's a credit to the staff that was here in the past and the guys who remained here. We've pushed them."