“When I say pull the weeds … it’s separating the people that really don’t respect what we’re trying to do.”

Luckily for his players, they seem to be buying what the new coach is selling. One look in their eyes and their optimism is obvious.

Many of the players seemed refreshed with Dantonio’s approach to the offseason, which featured intense training, an emphasis on team building and a focus on handling adversity.

Quarterback Brian Hoyer said he is in the best shape of his life thanks to the testing situations the coaches put them through in training.

“I could probably say that for most of my team,” Hoyer said. “Not just physical but mental shape. The adversity we were put through – I feel like we’re a lot tougher than we’ve been.”

Adversity may be the buzzword this season, as MSU struggled overcoming it last season, which led to the firing of John L. Smith.

The negativity ran through the team “like a disease” last season, said Kaleb Thornhill, who is returning for his third season as starting middle linebacker.

“Coming into the meetings the next morning, you’re not happy, you’re down, the coaches are kind of down,” Thornhill said of last season, when MSU finished tied for last in the Big Ten. “Nobody wanted to be there just in terms of attitude.”

With a scheduled deemed the eighth toughest in the nation by ESPN.com, new-look MSU will have its work cut out for them.

Offensive overhaul

The offense is getting a major overhaul with Brian Hoyer taking over as quarterback and also with an emphasis on a running attack featuring junior Javon Ringer and senior Jehuu Caulcrick.

“We want to be like an attack-type offense,” senior tight end Kellen Davis said. “We want to attack the defense, we’re just going to smash people out of the way you know, so we can run the ball.”

The talented combo of Ringer and Caulcrick makes Davis’ role as a run-blocker more exciting, he said.

“We’ve got big-play potential in all of our backs, so any time I’m going down field to make a block, I know something big can happen,” Davis said. “It’s a great feeling.”

Ringer will be the No. 1 option, with Caulcrick also seeing touches, running backs coach Dan Enos said.

“Jehuu is going to fit in with what we’re doing well … we’re playing to his strength,” he said. “With Javon, we don’t think we have to take him out in any situation, we think he can be a third-and-one guy – we think he can be a third-and-10 guy. He’s got good ball skills and he’s a good pass protector.”

Ringer is embracing the change from Smith’s pass-heavy spread offense and getting a chance to thrive in the new running game.

“I’m looking forward to … being a workhorse,” he said.

Hoyer impressed offensive coordinator Don Treadwell with his commitment to improving as a leader and as a player.

“One of the neat things with Brian, like any good quarterback, number one – he’s just a hungry student of the game,” Treadwell said. “He’s consistently in studying film on his own and going through all the things that you hope your quarterbacks do on their own without any direction.”

Defensive turnaround

Practicing against the new running-emphasized offense should lead to a more flexible defense, something the team was lacking last year.

Under Smith, MSU always practiced against its pass-oriented spread offense and that gave them trouble defending against the strong running teams.

Now that they will be defending against Ringer’s speed and Caulcrick’s power in different formations, they will be better prepared to stop the run.

How the team’s defense performs this season will be crucial to the effort in turning the team’s losing past around, defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi said.

“We’ve got to stop somebody because the offense isn’t going to score 45, 50 points a game,” Narduzzi said. “I hope they do because it makes my job a lot easier … defense is critical for us to have a chance to win this year.”

Narduzzi has been particularly impressed with Thornhill and senior safety Nehemiah Warrick.

“(Thornhill) had one day of practice, and all of a sudden you go, ‘Woah,’” Narduzzi said. “He’s a little different inside than maybe some of the things we saw in the spring.”

As a redshirt freshman, Thornhill tore his patellar tendon, which he said he still has problems with. He has been icing it and taking anti-inflammatory medication, he said.

“I feel old, there’s no doubt in my mind,” Thornhill said. “It’s just kind of pushing through your injuries ?as long as I monitor it and don’t do anything stupid, it’ll be just fine.”

The defensive line is the biggest question mark, but senior defensive end Ervin Baldwin expressed hope for the unit.

“After awhile, we’re going to be the strength,” he said. “I’m going to make sure of that.”