EAST LANSING - The similarities are there.

The confident smile, the knowledge and love of the game but maybe more importantly, the skill set.

The skill set that took freshman wide receiver Hunter Rison’s father, Andre, to a record-setting Michigan State career and an All-Pro NFL run that lasted more than a decade.

Once you sit down and talk to Hunter Rison, it’s not hard to tell that he is his father’s son. And MSU’s offense and football program stands to be the lucky recipient of his talents the rest of this season and beyond.

The younger Rison has never outwardly stated that he wanted to be just as good or better than his father, who finished his MSU career - from 1985-88 - with nearly 150 catches and nearly 3,000 yards, leading MSU in receptions in his last three seasons, but you get the sense that Hunter Rison can and will make his own way, no matter how long he chooses to play for MSU.

That ‘way’ began when the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Rison caught his first collegiate pass of five yards from quarterback Brian Lewerke in the second quarter of the Spartans’ season-opening 35-10 victory over Bowling Green last Saturday.

And it is expected to continue, according to Hunter, without much fanfare as MSU plays host to Western Michigan for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff Saturday at Spartan Stadium.

“I just want to get better everyday, like I’ve been trying to,’’ Hunter said. “I took that mentality into camp. Coach D (Dantonio) always says three percent better every day. So you just get better everyday and you’re going to end up where you need to be.

“So, I’m just taking that and preparing for each game now because I know they burned my redshirt so I’m going to have to be in there, I’m going to have to play, so I’ve got to be dependable so that they can have trust in me. It’s my job to be dependable for them.’’

So when we say his first catch passed without much fanfare consider this: Hunter Rison didn’t even have the expected reaction of giddiness about his first catch.

As a matter of fact, he was already offering what he learned from film sessions on Western Michigan’s secondary earlier in the week.

“We notice little things. Just for instance, when they press, they’re not physical,’’ Hunter said. “When they press, they let you go, they open the gate and then they shadow you. So we’ve got things we can use against that.’’

Despite his attention to the present, Hunter does have fond memories of that first catch, right down to the last detail. And he’s already expecting more, much more.

“It was a play, I had a hitch. I saw where the defense was and I knew I was going to be wide open because the linebacker blitzed and the safety was about 12 (yards) off so I knew I was getting it,” Rison said. “So I turned around and Lewie (Lewerke) got it (to me). . . I was really trying to break the tackle, so I was kind of mad at myself that I didn’t break the tackle. But I got the catch, it was first one of my career and I was glad to have it.’’

His assessment of the play didn’t sound like a wide-eyed true freshman but of course, after enrolling early and having the advantage of working with a pretty good teacher before his arrival on campus, Hunter, as wide receiver’s coach Terrence Samuel said during preseason camp, is ahead of the game.

“Yeah, I showed him a few things,’’ said Andre Rison with a smile when SpartanMag caught up with him after last Saturday’s game. “One of the best things about Hunter is, he picks up things pretty fast.’’

That includes good advice.

“(My father) tells me that every rep is being watched by the NFL and he knows that’s an aspiration of mine. So he says, ‘Every rep you’re out there, you’ve got to take advantage of,’” Hunter said. “Especially, as a freshman because you’re not going to get that many as the older guys so that’s what I’m using right now, going hard every single rep, 110 percent.’’

With what is already proving to be a fine wide receiver trio in starters Darrell Stewart Jr., Felton Davis III and Trishton Jackson, Hunter and fellow true freshman Cody White bolster a suddenly-strong area of the team.

“After getting the first catch, I was like, ‘Man, I can do this,’” Hunter said. “From there, it just got easier. So going into practice this week, (I expect) to be a lot more prepared, a lot more poised. I’m just ready to rock.’’

STICKING TO IT

In the past, MSU has always awarded its helmet stickers for a significant individual plays after the game. But in another subtle move to change the losing culture of last season’s 3-9 finish, the Spartans are handing out the awards during the game, according to senior co-captain and linebacker Chris Frey.

“Yeah, that’s something we started this year,’’ said Frey who slapped the reward on the back of teammate Tyson Smith’s helmet on the sidelines after his 38-yard interception return for a touchdown last Saturday against the Falcons during the third quarter. “I think it’s nice we get to share that moment as a team and it’s something that the captains will continue to do for the rest of the season.’’

Smith said the immediate helmet sticker is given to anyone who forces a turnover. The sticker is awarded during a lively huddle on the sidelines.

“That’s something we want the entire crowd, Spartan nation, to become a part of,” Smith said.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Keep a close eye on Spartan sophomore wideout Trishton Jackson, who will be facing his older brother, Obbie Jackson, a redshirt sophomore cornerback for the Broncos for the first of what is expected to be two meetings during their respective careers.

The Spartans will also play host to WMU in 2019.

Jackson, who caught three passes for 41 yards against the Falcons, will be looking to up that mark on Saturday with a large number of family and friends in the stands at Spartan Stadium.

“We know a lot about their corners and Trishton’s brother is on the other side, so that’s going to be interesting to see that,’’ Hunter Rison said. “Man, that’s going to be fun to see.’’