“Obviously, where we need to grow is in our passing game,” he said. “I do think we’ve been able to run the ball, but we’re going to play against an Ohio State defense, traditionally tough to run the ball against.”

The brunt of the Spartans’ offensive load has been shouldered by junior running back Le’Veon Bell, who has averaged 152.5 yards per game, good enough for third in the nation.

The sixth-year head coach hopes to light a fire under the struggling receiving corps. After the departure of receivers Keshawn Martin, B.J. Cunningham and Keith Nichol, Dantonio said he expected the questions swirling around the passing game.

“We lost a lot there, but we were very successful with those guys prior, too,” he said. “We’re glad we had those guys (but) now we don’t have them, (and) we need to re-establish ourselves in those areas.”

Dantonio went on to praise the receivers his team has now, including junior Bennie Fowler, sophomores Keith Mumphery and Tony Lippett and freshmen Aaron Burbridge and Macgarrett Kings Jr.

The Spartans have made personnel changes at wideout during the team’s nonconference schedule to find the right fit, but the trio of Fowler, Mumphery and Lippett has started each game so far.

“There’s nobody I walk out there today and say, ‘Why is that guy playing wide receiver? He can’t catch, he can’t run,’” Dantonio said. “They have it in them. We need to be confident, patient a little bit, understand there’s going to be growing pains.”

Rivalry on the rocks?
Dantonio also was asked about the future of MSU’s rivalry with No. 10 Notre Dame, after it was revealed Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick exercised an opt-out clause to end the Fighting Irish’s series with rival Michigan in 2014.

With Notre Dame’s move to the ACC in all sports but football, the games between the Irish and their nonconference rivals — such as MSU — have been up in the air.

However, MSU athletics director Mark Hollis told the Detroit Free Press he had not heard anything from Swarbrick about the future of MSU’s series, and Dantonio said during his press conference it was a decision to be made by someone higher up than he.

“The only thing that’s important to me is that we win,” Dantonio said. “That’s important.”