Saturday's game against Western Michigan welcomes the new "cowboy regime" of John L. Smith to the Spartan world.
Though Smith has western roots - he was born in Idaho and has coached at Utah State and Washington State - don't expect the 2003 version of Spartan football to resemble the Wild West. Smith doesn't want to see referees flag-slinging his players with the silly misconduct penalties that have become commonplace in recent Spartan history.
Penalties will happen, but Smith said he'd rather see an effort penalty like a face mask before the taunts and excessive celebrations of yesteryear surface.
"The biggest thing is we need to go out and show effort, great effort. If we do that, we might get a penalty or two, but we can't afford the stupid, flagrant (penalties). I'm not going to put up with that."
Smith's record speaks for itself - six straight bowl appearances, ranked No. 14 in winning percentage among active coaches - but questions arise when looking at Louisville's 2002 penalty statistics that show a Conference USA leading 124 for 1,104 yards.
MSU had its share of jaw-dropping penalty statistics when Bobby Williams was head coach. In 2000, after Williams replaced Nick Saban as head coach, the Spartans compiled 75 penalties for 689 yards. 2001 saw the Spartans commit 92 penalties for 747 yards. And last season the Spartans were thrown 80 flags for 749 yards, outgaining their leading rusher David Richard - now transferred to Missouri - who ran for 654 yards.
Only Iowa and Northwestern were flagged more than MSU last year, with 103 penalties for 873 yards and 87 penalties for 783 yards, respectively. Michigan was the most disciplined team in the Big Ten in 2002 with 65 penalties for 498 yards.
Resident good guy and Spartan senior co-captain Joe Tate said the team doesn't want to see its past mistakes precede the direction the MSU program is heading under Smith.
"I think the coaches have pressed it," Tate said. "Coach Smith doesn't want any dumb or lack-of-effort penalties that come along."
In the Green and White game last spring, Smith showed the media and Spartan fans that misconduct was going to be handled sternly. After consecutive penalties, including an onfield scuffle with a teammate, center Brian Ottney - now off the team because of an ailing knee injury - was taken out of the action midway through the scrimmage.
"I think the (attitude) has definitely changed," said senior linebacker Mike Labinjo." When coach first got here, he told us from the get-go that he wasn't going to put up with any dumb penalties and I think it goes back to the Green and White game where a player got consecutive penalties which cost the offense yards and eventually the coaches benched him. (Smith) said he wasn't going to put up with that."
So far so good. Players and coaches alike agree the penalty problems are being handled accordingly. But until the 2003 squad runs out of the tunnel, practice is where the bar has been raised.
"I definitely feel like if something happens in practice that could be a potential penalty in a game or a flag in a game, it's definitely brought to everybody's attention," said senior guard and co-captain Paul Harker.
Smith cemented himself as the Spartans' new sheriff as soon as he took the helm in December 2002. Saturday marks the beginning of a new attitude in East Lansing. To those outlaws on his roster, his statement to them is simple.
"(I'll) grab them by the face mask and shake their head until
