Hoyer eager to assume control of MSU offense

EAST LANSING - It's a common problem for football players - restlessness and poor sleep the night before a big game.

Brian Hoyer has taken it to a new level. He couldn't sleep on the eve of Michigan State's spring practice. That's how geeked Hoyer is to assume the role of starting quarterback and team leader.

"Definitely," said Hoyer, who will be a fourth-year junior in 2007. "I've been waiting for it and I learned from a great leader in Drew (Stanton)."

The departure of Stanton leaves the offense in the hands of Hoyer. The departure of fired coach John L. Smith means it's a brand-new offense. Gone is the spread, replaced by new coach Mark Dantonio's more-traditional attack.

Spring drills, which began Tuesday and go through the April 21 spring game, will be about learning that offense for Hoyer, back-up redshirt freshman Connor Dixon and a host of walk-ons. MSU will welcome two more scholarship quarterbacks in the fall.

Hoyer said he's been studying offensive coordinator Don Treadwell's scheme intently.

"You're gonna run the ball, you're gonna have a fullback out there," Hoyer said. "You're not gonna have three (receivers) a lot. We'll emphasize the run but we're not gonna run 50 times a game. It's a pro-style offense."

Quarterbacks coach Dave Warner said Hoyer stood far above the other quarterbacks on Tuesday, which shouldn't be a surprise. Hoyer played in eight games last season, starting one, throwing for 863 yards and four touchdowns.

"I saw a great arm and a great ability to throw all sorts of routes," Warner said of Hoyer. "He has leadership, intelligence, he adds a whole lot to what we want to do offensively."

In the locker room, Hoyer figures to be one of the team leaders with 2006 seniors Stanton, Cliff Ryan, Dave Herron Jr., and Kyle Cook all departing. Stanton, in particular, has helped Hoyer come along in that way.

Among Stanton's words of advice for Hoyer: "Just go out and have fun. These are gonna be the two best years of your life."

THE OTHER GUY: Dixon was a dual-threat star in South Park, Pa., who redshirted last season. His take on the new offense: "There's more balance, more tougness than finesse emphasized in this offense."

At 6-foot-4, 191 pounds, Dixon is wiry and fast. Perhaps at some point he could be provide an occasional change of pace to Hoyer's classic dropback style.

"I like to run," Dixon said. "I like to get out there and make plays. Obviously you have to change it up a little bit in college, but it's a big part of my game. I like to do a little bit of everything."

BAM BAM: MSU will have fullbacks on its roster for the first time since 2002. The front-runner for the starting job is Dwayne "Da Da" Holmes, a bruising blocker as a tight end last season.

Dantonio said Holmes is weighing in around 270 - down 25 pounds from when Dantonio arrived in November.

Holmes said he's excited about the switch because "blocking comes naturally to me," and because MSU will throw to its fullbacks at times.

"There's a couple routes out of the backfield," Holmes said. "That's what I've seen so far."

STILL WAITING: Senior defensive tackle Bobby Jones remains in limbo.

Jones was convicted in January of assault and battery, stemming from an Oct. 15 incident in which he threw a bottle at a woman. He was sentenced to 20 days at the Clinton County Jail, to be served on weekends.

Dantonio indicated before spring ball began that Jones would get a chance to work his way back onto the team.

Contact Joe Rexrode at jrexrode@lsj.com.