When first-year coach Mark Dantonio scrapped Michigan State's spread offense in favor of a more physical approach, it succeeded in one way.

It made the Spartans a team that is more focused and more physical than it could have dreamed of being under former coach John L. Smith and his spread offense. The Spartans now don't worry about trying to trick opposing defenses. Instead, they just want to run them over with Dantonio's version of the Power "I" and its bruising rushing attack.

"That spread stuff we did last year, that was too much finesse for the Big Ten," Michigan State tailback Jehuu Caulcrick said. "You have to be able to line up and knock people off the ball to have success in this league, and we are much more physical this year. We lacked physical toughness and really even mental toughness and that's why we didn't finish games."

That's probably not good news for Pitt's defense considering last year, when the Spartans were still playing "finesse" football, they rushed for 335 yards and routed the Panthers, 38-23, at Heinz Field.

The Panthers (2-0) will play at Michigan State (2-0) Saturday in a game that is being billed as their first real test of the season and a shot at redemption. But listening to the Spartans talk, the game last year isn't a factor because that team -- the one that lost eight of their final nine games before Smith was fired -- doesn't compare to this team.

And while the transition to a new coaching staff can sometimes be slow, Dantonio, who was the head coach at Cincinnati for the past three seasons and was the defensive coordinator at Ohio State in 2002 when the Buckeyes won the national title, has made an immediate impact on the Spartans.

Caulcrick, who splits time with junior Javon Ringer, said Dantonio's no-nonsense, businesslike approach is a refreshing change, and even the few players who weren't quite as quick to adapt to Dantonio's system say they have warmed to it.

"I was a little more of a pass-blocker than a run-blocker, so I wasn't sure at first," offensive tackle Jesse Miller said. "I had to learn how to play a different style, but you can see just in our first two games if we can push teams around and get our running game going each week, we'll be tough to stop."

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said the Spartans film from the first two weeks has been helpful, but he also has watched plenty of film of Dantonio's Bearcats from last season. He said the Spartans look a lot like the Bearcats did, only with better and bigger personnel.

The Spartans' statistics back the idea that a solid power rushing game is being developed as they have averaged 220 yards per game and have scored seven rushing touchdowns.

"They are pretty much doing, in all phases, what they did at Cincinnati and they should because they were successful with it," Wannstedt said. "They have big powerful linemen on both sides of the ball, two big physical backs, and that enables them to be able to line up and run the football the way he'd like."

NOTES -- Pitt tailback LaRod Stephens-Howling remains day to day with bruised ribs, so freshman LeSean McCoy could be in line for his first career start. Also, defensive end Greg Romeus is questionable with an unspecified arm injury. ... Redshirt sophomore tight end John Pelusi (shoulder) returned to practice and is likely to suit up Saturday.