Smith, a dynamic individual who has run with the Bulls in Pamplona, skydived from 10,000 feet and ridden in a high-speed military jet, is about to put his signature on the Spartan program.

Smith came to Michigan State when it was in the muck and mire from the failed regime of Bobby Williams. The Spartans have played well for the past two years and the pieces appear to be in place to challenge for the team's first Big Ten title since 1990.

That may be a bit of a stretch, but the Spartans absolutely love the leadership they get from QB Drew Stanton. He is a great runner who will sacrifice his body in order to make a play - and that has won him extra points from the coaching staff and his teammates.

Stanton is an effective thrower even though he may not throw a beautiful ball. Stanton completed 141-of-220 passes for 1,601 yards with 8 TDs and 6 interceptions. If he can show a bit of improvement in his ability to hit the big play, the Spartans could cause quite a few problems in the Big Ten.

The running game was extremely productive last year with DeAndra Cobb, Jason Teague and Jehuu Caulcrick forming a effective trio. Cobb has moved on but Teague and Caulcrick should be able to punish opposing Big Ten defenses. Teague is a tough-minded back who is looking to take on tacklers and run them over even though he is not huge (5-9 and 199). He is facing misdemeanor assault and battery charges for an off-the-field incident.

Caulcrick is a mountain of a man (6-0 and 243) who is extremely tough to tackle. Caulcrick is a converted linebacker who appears to have learned the ropes. If the Spartans have the lead in the second half, Caulcrick can be a punishing hammer.

While the Spartans don't have any superstar wide receivers at this point, they do have several experienced veterans who combine size, speed and ability. Jerramy Scott, Terry Love, Aaron Alexander and Matt Trannon can all go down the field and get it. Trannon stays in shape by playing for the Spartan basketball team during the winter and he is a great third-down target who checks in at 6-6 and 225 pounds.

The Spartans won't have speedy Agim Shabaj this year, and that could be a major loss. He failed to meet his academic requirements and will not be allowed to participate.

Smith believes the offensive line should be one of the team's greatest areas of strength. OLT Stefon Wheeler will be in his third year as a starter and has the skills needed to be a star. He understands the nuances of pass blocking and has shown improvement each year. OLG Kyle Cook is the team's best run blocker and a legitimate tough guy.

The Spartan defense has been a hard-hitting and nasty unit since Smith took over. They have not always played consistently, but that could change this year as depth has improved.

Start with the defensive line Michael Bazemore, Nick Smith and Justin Kershaw should all see action at defensive end. Smith has size, strength and toughness and the coaches believe he can develop into a star.

The DT position is a bit unsettled, but Brandon McKinney is difficult to move and should do a good job against the interior run. Domata Peko played well in the second half of the season and will battle for a starting job despite pleading guilty to disorderly conduct during the offseason.

The LB crew will miss Ronald Stanley, who was a four-year starter and a tremendous leader. The coaching staff hopes that ILB Kaleb Thornhill will provide that kind of leadership as a sophomore. He had 32 tackles and four behind the line a year ago.

OLB Eric Smith mans the "Bandit" position and he has the toughness and speed needed to become a star. He is the leading returning tackler after registering 115 tackles and 3 more behind the line of scrimmage.

If the defense is going to improve enough to make this team a contender, the secondary has to allow fewer game-changing plays. Ashton Watson has good athletic ability and footwork at the cornerback position

Greg Cooper has to step into the void at free safety now that Jason Harmon has moved on. Cooper has plenty of experience as a nickel back and has demonstrated fine instincts, perhaps the most important factor at the FS position.

While the Spartans will miss PK Dave Rayner, P Brandon Fields had a 47.9 yard average a year ago and may be the best in the nation. If John Goss can get the job done as a field goal kicker, the Spartans should have solid special teams.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAME: vs. Hawaii, Sept. 10 -- Most Big Ten aficionados will look at this game and say it's an easy win, but that may not be the case. While the Warriors are not as difficult to handle when they travel, Hawaii beat Michigan State 41-38 in the season finale. Not only does John L. Smith need to get a win here, he needs to make a powerful statement before traveling to Notre dame the following week.

THE SPARTANS WILL GO 8-3 IF: QB Drew Stanton stays healthy and gets just a little bit more accurate. The Spartans also need to find a speedy running back to team with Jehuu Caulcrick and Jason Teague. The defense plays with plenty of heart, but they need to avoid the big plays as well.

THE SPARTANS WILL GO 5-6 IF: Lapses of consistency continue to dog this program. They Spartans looked sensational in the 45-37 triple overtime loss at Michigan, but were awful in end-of-season losses at Penn State and Hawaii. Smith needs to make sure this team plays with the same effort on an weekly basis.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "You don't want to think about limiting the kid, because that is what he does to make plays -- use his natural attributes. At the same time, we would like to be a little more diligent from a coaching standpoint in what we call and when we place him in harm's way. We are going to be a little more cautious of when we are going to have him run the ball than maybe we were a year ago. At the same point, he has to know you may have to put yourself in harm's way to win football games, but there are also times when you don't have to." - Head coach John L. Smith on the paradox of having an athletic quarterback.

HEAD COACH: John L. Smith, 3rd year at Michigan State, 13-12; 16 years overall, 123-72.

MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB Drew Stanton -- There is no doubt that Stanton causes problems for e opposing defensive coordinator the Spartans will face. However, he needs to improve his accuracy if the Spartans are going to move up in the Big Ten this season. He certainly has the athletic skills, leadership and toughness to become a star.

BREAKOUT STAR: TE Ryan Woods -- The Spartans don't have a dominant speed receiver, so they need a tight end who can go down the field and make a big play. Woods has the size, strength and hands to become an important player.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH: DL Bobby Jones -- He was a productive junior college defensive end last year (34 tackles, 8 TFL, 4 sacks), but he will also be used at defensive tackle. If Jones can make the jump to this play, he could emerge as a starter at some point this year.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: Offense -- QB Drew Stanton, RB Jehuu Caulcrick, WR Matt Trannon, WR Kyle Brown, WR Jerramy Scott, TE Ryan Woods, OLT Stefon Wheeler, OLG Kyle Cook, C Chris Morris, ORG Gordon Niebylski, ORT Mike Gyvetai.

Defense - DE Michael Bazemore, DT Domata Peko, DT Brandon McKinney, DE Clifton Ryan, ILB Kaleb Thornhill, ILB David Herron, OLB Eric Smith, CB Aston Watson, CB Eric Hines, SS Cole Corey, FS Greg Cooper.

ROSTER REPORT: Freshman RB Tony Howard will appear in court this month to face DUI charges in Ohio. His status has not been determined. ... RB Jason Teague faces misdemeanor assault and battery charges; his third brush with the law in 19 months. ... CB Jaren Hayes has been suspended indefinitely for an off-the-field incident. ... WR Agim Shabaj was declared academically ineligible and will not play this season.