Ask someone who follows the MSU football team for the differences between head coach Mark Dantonio and his predecessor, John L. Smith, and the answers might sound something like this:

Smith was quirky and quick-tongued. Dantonio is methodical and hard-nosed.

Smith was a cowboy from the West. Dantonio is a Midwest boy.

Smith slapped himself. Dantonio hasn't.

But the biggest difference between the two might be their offensive strategies. While Smith preferred to air it out, Dantonio and his staff operate under a mind-set that victories are earned on the ground.

"They plug it into our minds that we're establishing the run first," junior running back Javon Ringer said. "If the run game is good, then our team will do good. So, that's the only difference — that we're trying to establish the run first."

Part of Dantonio's idea of establishing the run involves a fullback leading the way. The only problem? Smith didn't use a fullback, so the Spartans had none on their roster. To compensate, three players converted from previous positions. Senior Devin Pritchett and junior Jeff McPherson made the switch from linebacker, while junior Dwayne Holmes came from tight end.

Holmes' transition seems easiest, as he was used primarily as a blocking tight end last year. McPherson and Pritchett were reserve linebackers who combined for one tackle in 2006. McPherson said he played some fullback in high school, and the new position is "similar" to linebacker.

Whoever emerges as the primary fullback, Ringer is just happy he'll no longer be alone in the backfield.

"A lot easier. A lot easier," Ringer said about running behind a fullback. "Having a downhill offense with a fullback is a lot simpler for a running back than running in a spread offense."

While Holmes, Pritchett and McPherson battle it out, there's no question Ringer will be the one lining up behind them. He has shown flashes of greatness in his first two years at MSU. As a freshman in 2005, he averaged 6.7 yards per carry on his way to a team-best 817 yards. He also caught 19 passes for 138 yards.

Last season, the Dayton, Ohio, native injured his knee five games into the season. After being ruled out for the rest of the season, he returned for the season's final three games and ended with 497 yards. Now that Ringer is healthy, running backs coach Dan Enos is using the spring season to push Ringer and get him in shape.

"I want him to see how good a shape he's not in right now, so when he comes back in the fall, he realizes the shape we want him in," said Enos, who was MSU's quarterbacks coach on last year's staff. "There's another level he has to get to, and he knows it."

In 2006, Ringer averaged almost 11 carries a game, while senior Jehuu Caulcrick carried the ball almost 10 times per contest and sophomore A.J. Jimmerson got almost four carries per game. Part of the reason Enos is pushing Ringer in practice is because he's expected to have a more expanded role in the offense. Enos said Ringer will need to be in top condition so he can catch passes out of the backfield and line up as a wide out in addition to running the ball.

But even though Ringer will be the focus of MSU's running game, it doesn't mean Caulcrick — who is coming off offseason arthroscopic knee surgery — won't get his touches. Enos even said the offense might feature the 202-pound Ringer and 255-pound Caulcrick in the game at the same time.

"We're going to try and get (Ringer) the ball as much as we can, but we're going to try to get a role for Jehuu, too," Enos said.