EAST LANSING - With the departure of All-Big Ten receiver Felton Davis III, Michigan State’s football team will be looking for new leadership, on and off the field, at the wide receivers spot.

Darrell Stewart and junior Cody White are two candidates to take that mantle.

While both had decent receiving numbers last season - Stewart caught 48 balls for 413 yards and one TD, while White, despite missing time with a hand injury, hauled in 42 receptions for 555 yards and two scores in just nine games - Stewart knows his group needs to take it up a notch, beginning this spring.

“My expectations are really (about) turning the offense around from last year’s season,’’ Stewart said. “I really feel like us an offense have gained a lot of responsibility on doing the right things and executing plays. That’s the main thing I’m looking forward to, starting off on the new year and a new foot and putting a good foot forward for this offense and turning it all around.

“I consider myself more like the playmaker since (Felton Davis) is gone. It’s a responsibility that I knew was going to come and I’m looking forward to it but not only me. We’ve got so many more guys that can make plays. This is about depth and having guys that were younger that are finally learning new things from the older guys like Felton and me. They can make plays too and you’ve seen that throughout the scrimmages and throughout the spring.’’

Stewart, who missed a couple of games last season due to injury, is expected to

lead a group that includes a rotation of junior Cam Chambers, junior Laress Nelson, senior Brandon Sowards, emerging sophomore C.J. Hayes and sophomore Jalen Nailor.

“We know where we need to be,’’ White said. “We haven’t been there yet but we know what we have to do to get there. We know we have another level to get to so we’re just trying push each other to get better each and everyday.’’

Except for Hayes, every wideout mentioned above had eight or more catches last season, with all totaling at least 100 yards on the season last year.

“I feel like a lot of guys learned from last year’s trials and tribulations,” Stewart said. “And I feel like if you were out there watching our first scrimmage this spring, you saw a lot of guys stepping up. Even if you’re not an older guy, we saw a lot of playmakers out there (during the scrimmage).”

The receivers will try to make more noise in the final scrimmage of the spring, the Green-White Game, today (Saturday) at Spartan Stadium at 2 p.m. (replay televised by BTN at 6 p.m.)

Hayes, 6-1, 205, is considered a big-body receiver in the passing game, and he will look to end the spring on a high note. He gained momentum during MSU’s first Jersey Scrimmage of the spring in late March.

“He had a big day (in the first scrimmage) but he’s been making plays every single day,’’ White said. “He keeps getting his name brought up and that’s really sparking the energy for this offense.’’

Added QB Brian Lewerke: “Obviously, he’s a bigger guy and he can get off of press coverage better than most guys can. So I think he’s on his way.’’

Cornerback Josiah Scott agreed with Lewerke.

"CJ Hayes has been doing really well catching the ball and blocking and all those things to get on the field," Scott said.

Stewart senses that the young receivers, and his teammates in the WR room, are yearning to make an impact.

“I see it in their eyes, I see it in their hunger and I see it in them just wanting to be the best they can be,’’ Stewart said. “You’ve got guys flying around going to get blocks down field and that’s one thing Coach D’s been preaching about.’’

Oddly enough, that was one of the first things White talked about when asked about his progress and the improvements he needed to make going into a new season.

“I didn’t block as well as I should have (last year),” White said. “I need to get better in the run game and just keep making explosive plays for the offense.

There may be no better judge of a scrutinized offensive line than one of the members of one of the nation’s best defenses.

While the questions about the Spartans’ o-line will continue to dominate the line of questioning when talking about the improvements the offense as a whole has to make, senior defensive tackle Mike Panasiuk has already noticed some changes in a group that is now being coached by Jim Bollman.

“They’ve definitely been showing different things up front,’’ Panasiuk said. “They’ve been able to block us better. They have different schemes so I definitely feel like up front, they’re getting better.

“(Junior offensive tackle) A.J. Arcuri and I feel like (junior offensive tackle) Luke Campbell has also been getting a lot better. He played early in his career and kind of shut down, whatever his situation was, but now on the field, I can definitely see him getting a lot better. Same as A.J. That dude’s a freak. He’s a giraffe. We call him a giraffe all of the time but he’s going to be good for sure.’’

Campbell was honorable mention All-Big Ten as a freshman in 2017. Last year, he played in nine games with five starts. He missed the last four games of the year due to an undisclosed injury.