No more blaming John L. Smith. With two new faces at the team’s main leadership roles this season — head coach Mark Dantonio and junior quarterback Brian Hoyer — this fresh start may be what the team needs to shake off a stagnant losing mentality and turn things around.

Coaching

First-year head coach Mark Dantonio is bringing a tough, hard-hitting defensive mentality, and is tearing out the spread offense and replacing it with a strong running game. Dantonio zeroed in on the team’s inability to handle adversity this offseason and is looking to build the program back to a point of national dominance.

Revamped offensive game plan

The new smashmouth running offense will place the football in the hands of Javon Ringer and Jehuu Caulcrick, and will take some pressure off of first-year starting quarterback Brian Hoyer.

Running backs

Ringer’s explosive quickness and Caulcrick’s size and strength should make for a nasty one-two punch that will thrive under the new offense. And don’t forget about sophomore back A.J. Jimmerson for the three-punch.

Safeties

Junior Otis Wiley and senior Nehemiah Warrick return as starters this season. Wiley led the team in tackles last year with 94, and Warrick has impressed coaches and players by laying some big hits this offseason.

5 reasons MSU will struggle

Quarterback

Junior Brian Hoyer isn’t former Spartan gunslinger Drew Stanton, and that’s enough reason for concern. In limited action last season, Hoyer threw four touchdown passes and three interceptions, but he lacks the big play ability and experience of Stanton.

Wide receiver

The team will have to fill the void left by Matt Trannon, Kerry Reed and Jerramy Scott with an inexperienced corps of wide receivers. Senior Terry Love was likely going to be a starter, but academic issues forced him to miss a majority of practices, and now he will have to fight for playing time.

Schedule

MSU probably didn’t think Illinois would be much competition last year. But when the Spartans lost to the Fighting Illini last fall, it seemed anybody could walk all over MSU. Luckily, there will be no game against Illinois, as well as Minnesota, instead, this season the Spartans will face off against Wisconsin and Iowa in what ESPN.com has rated the nation’s eighth toughest schedule.

Defensive line

One would think a defensive line that finished next to last in sacks in the Big Ten could only go up. But when you lose your best player (Clifton Ryan), it’s just plain easier to go down.

Cornerbacks

MSU’s cornerbacks last season were nothing to brag about as they allowed the most touchdowns and picked off the least passes in the Big Ten. New starters junior Kendell Davis-Clark and sophomore Ross Weaver are no Greg Cooper or Demond Williams — hopefully that’s a good thing.

— Compiled by Zack Colman and Jon Schultz