“You know, you’re a little edgy,” he said. “You don’t like people asking a lot of questions, but you’re excited for everything. You’re sort of going stir crazy a little bit, too, because we’ve been preparing for this for a while; you sort of want to get to the game a little bit, start to play, start to adjust, start to find out who we are as a football team right now.”

While the Spartans have much in place, Dantonio said he’s still trying to piece together answers at several positions heading into the season.

The depth chart lists junior Micajah Reynolds or senior Tyler Hoover as possible starters at defensive tackle, and also indicates an ongoing position battle between junior Jairus Jones and sophomore Kurtis Drummond to start at free safety.

Dantonio added freshman Demetrious Cox and redshirt freshman RJ Williamson also are in the mix for playing time at free safety.

“Those four guys are good football players; one needs to just become the guy,” he said. “Four can become the guy — I don’t care. They’re all good. It’s a good situation to have.”

After sitting behind Kirk Cousins for three years, it’s finally Maxwell’s time to be “the guy,” getting his first start at quarterback on one of the biggest stages.

“I’m not so much nervous, but anxious and excited to get on the field and get ready to play,” he said.

Maxwell added he isn’t the only one getting antsy about the beginning of the season.

“Through winter conditioning and spring ball, all the running in the summer with (strength and conditioning coach Ken) Mannie and into camp — there’s just all this buildup and preparation,” he said.

Dantonio also spoke on the daunting 73-6 record pieced together by Boise State head coach Chris Petersen during his time with the Broncos.

“Obviously, the record is one thing, but eight sacks in a year’s time is what was given up (last season). Pretty tremendous.

“Tremendous offense, tremendous ideas in terms of the way they attack things and the complexity and the different formations they give you — (it will be an) outstanding challenge for us.”

However, the Spartans have pieced together an impressive résumé of their own. Since 2011, MSU is tied for the seventh-most wins in the nation, with 22.

With expectations from fans and the media at a pinnacle, the Spartans will have much to live up to.
However, Dantonio said he doesn’t want his team focusing too much on the hype and wants them to stay focused on the tasks at hand.

“Right now, you have a lot of people out there playing football, and everybody is chasing that dream,” he said. “We’re just one of them chasing it.”