When Mark Dantonio was hired as MSU's new football head coach in November, he was quick to stress toughness and effort as qualities he demanded in his program.

And even though the official start of spring practice is still several days away, Dantonio has spent all winter instilling mental and physical toughness in his players via early-morning workouts. At Monday's spring preview press conference, Dantonio said he has held a total of 11 workouts at 5:45 a.m. throughout the winter.

When asked to describe in one word the difference between these workouts and those from previous years, junior quarterback Brian Hoyer paused to choose his word carefully.

"Intensity," he said.

Much of that added intensity can be attributed to the style of Dantonio, who treats offseason workouts as more than a chance for his players to get conditioned.

"I told my coaches, 'Try and break them, try to break them every day — try to get them to quit the drill,'" Dantonio said. "And they haven't."

All the players also wear name tags during the workouts and will do so until spring practice begins March 20, Dantonio said.

After every workout, the coaches meet to assign a grade to every player. Players can receive a grade of "losing," "average," "winning" or "national championship," and the grades are posted on the weight-room wall for all to see.

Earning your keep

MSU will have 15 practices spread out over five weeks to get on the same page before the spring season concludes on April 21 with the spring game.

Unlike years past, Dantonio will not reveal a spring depth chart. As a result, the players will spend those 15 practices earning their spots.

"There will be no depth chart per se, as we come into this. … Everyone will have an opportunity," Dantonio said. "If we sit there and say we have a first-team quarterback or first-team linebacker, at this point in time, it doesn't send a good message to our football team.

"There's certain people you know that'll be in the lineup, but there's other aspects of the program that are still really up in the air."

One of those who will almost surely be in the lineup is Hoyer, who's expected to be the starting quarterback when the season opens after spending the last two seasons backing up Drew Stanton. But Hoyer understands the benefits of having position battles.

"Everyone's getting a chance to compete, and I think that's going to make everyone, as a whole, better," he said. "I always went out and tried to compete with (Stanton) because I felt like that made me better."

Taking over the reins

With a new coaching staff comes a new playbook, which Dantonio admits will differ in its terminology than what most MSU players are used to.

But Hoyer said he'll have little trouble picking up on Dantonio's offensive schemes.

"It's kind of like the offense I ran in high school — more pro style, drop back with a fullback — so it's nothing new to me," he said. "I feel comfortable with what I've learned so far."

Hoyer saw significant action the last two games of 2006 after Stanton went down with an injury. He responded by going a combined 56-of-111 for 621 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions — including a school-record 61 pass attempts in the season finale at Penn State.

But it was his time as Stanton's backup that really prepared him to be a starter.

"Learning from a guy of his talent and seeing how he attacks everything has really helped me, and I don't think I'd be in the position I am today if it weren't for learning from him and playing behind him," Hoyer said.

But with Stanton a few weeks away from being drafted into the NFL, Hoyer is ready to become MSU's leader.

"I want people to see me and know that I'm OK with everything, and that means they can be OK with it," Hoyer said.

"I want them to look up to me and realize I'm going to lead the team."

Position shuffle

Part of Dantonio's new offensive scheme involves the use of a fullback — a position not featured in former coach John L. Smith's offense.

Dantonio mentioned juniors Dwayne Holmes and Jeff McPherson as players who will get a look at fullback during spring practice.

In 2006, Holmes caught three passes for 27 yards while being used primarily as a blocking tight end. McPherson, a walk-on linebacker, didn't record a tackle last season.

In Dantonio's traditional defense, the Spartans will play with three linebackers instead of two linebackers and a bandit — a hybrid linebacker/safety position. Senior SirDarean Adams, who was MSU's primary bandit player last season, will play weakside linebacker, Dantonio said.