The 2013 MSU defense was dominant from day one. But the offense was perhaps the most surprising development last season, managing to click against Iowa in week five following a rough loss to Notre Dame.

The wide receivers developed a chemistry with then-sophomore quarterback Connor Cook, who won the starting job outright after splitting minutes with Andrew Maxwell earlier in the year.

To give the rapidly-improving offense an identity, MSU Wide Receivers Coach Terrence Samuel christened the wide receiver corps the "Frequent Flyer Zone" last week at the Big Ten Media Days banquet. Though he put the nickname out there as a joke, it appears it could have staying power.

"They need something to latch onto to feel good, and I keep saying it as a joke," Samuel said. "If it catches on it catches on, if it don't, I'm OK at being the butt of the joke."

Senior wide receivers Tony Lippett and Keith Mumphrey both addressed the "Frequent Flyer Zone" nickname at the annual media day at Spartan Stadium on Monday, saying the new identity is a result of the confidence and growth the wide receivers have seen with Cook in the past year.

"We embrace it, we always try and find ways to get better, find ways to uphold that name," Lippett said. "It came out of nowhere, because we didn't know about it until he said it."

The 2014 wide receiver group is fairly deep and includes Lippett, Mumphrey, sophomore wide receiver R.J. Shelton, junior wide receiver Aaron Burbridge, junior wide receiver Macgarrett Kings Jr. and potentially junior wide receiver AJ Troup, who is recovering from a knee injury. 

"From what I've seen so far, again like I said we're so early, we've got a lot of receivers who can catch the ball," Football Head Coach Mark Dantonio said. "I really think we have six, maybe seven guys that are equally as functional, are big play guys and you can throw the ball to any of them. I think you saw that last year with a variety of guys."

Samuel said he expects to see Troup become an efficient receiver following his recovery.

"He's coming, he's not where he was when he, and it's not that he's not there athletically, it's that he's not there, he's rusty," Samuel said. "You take a year off and you're not in the mix of things, you're rusty. He just gotta continue making that, he needs balls, he needs experience, he needs reps."

Samuel said that following the strides made last season, the focus now is establishing a dominant attitude for his players. This includes his wide receivers playing meaner and continuing to improve their skills — specifically at picking up more yards after the catch. 

"When you say the growth, the next thing that we're working on is yards after catch," Samuel said. "People have to put that in perspective. Just last year, we were working on running the right route, being in the right place. Now, it's running great routes, being efficient in how we get open, yards after catch. So there's a big emphasis for me to these guys in this room to do something with the ball once we get it."

Mumphrey added that confidence was a major factor in the turnaround last season, saying the offense had to "man up" and set themselves right.

"The confidence has been an amazing factor," Mumphrey said. "The consistency also been a key factor knowing we have to do the little things. What really got us there was just focusing on the now. Focusing on what we have to take care of and not looking forward."