EAST LANSING - "It's not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference." - Alabama football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.

Michigan State University is taking that philosophy and running with it, in the form of the ongoing $15 million, 25,000 square-foot expansion and renovation of the Duffy Daugherty Football Building at the corner of Shaw Road and Chestnut Lane. The work, managed by Barton Malow, will add team meeting spaces, coaching offices, public display space and a new public plaza.

"The building is designed for efficiency, especially with the way the team meeting area can be converted into (offense and defense) unit meeting rooms in a matter of seconds along with the close proximity to the position meeting rooms," said Spartans head football coach Mark Dantonio. "With this design and organization, we won't lose valuable time when transitioning from meeting space to meeting space."

The new working space will provide a meeting area for the entire team, and then separate breakout areas for offense and defense, as well as offensive and defensive lines. The facility will have enhanced video technology throughout the building, with footage from every MSU practice or game available from the past five seasons, as well as video of opponents and recruits. The technology will allow coaches to improve scouting by converting plays on video into diagrammed plays.

Describing the existing facility as "antiquated," Spartans Assistant Athletic Director for Football Mike Vollmar said the new space "will be a plus from a recruiting standpoint. Student-athletes spend a lot of time here, and we want it to be nice. The message that we're sending is that we are committed to our student-athletes. And for our players and staff, this is all about improving time management. We're not wasting 10 or 15 minutes a day going from room to room."

The new two-story facility will include a "Hall of History," to commemorate past Spartan gridiron glories. "The Hall of History is important because the past is the best indicator of the future," Dantonio said. "From a historical perspective, Michigan State is a Top-25 football program, with six National Championships. We're proud of our rich football tradition and it should be documented for the entire Spartan Nation to appreciate and embrace."

MSU alumni Robert and Julie Skandalaris donated $5 million for the project. Former Spartan head coach George Perles and his wife Sally contributed $500,000 for the construction of a $1 million plaza outside the Duffy Daugherty Football Building, and they will have their name associated with the space.

In April, the Duffy Daugherty Football Building weight room will increase in size from 9,000 to 16,500 square feet, allowing more variety in equipment.

The Spartan coaching staff is expected to move from temporary offices into the new facility in late July, with the building being fully operational by Aug. 1.

"Every time I walk over here, there's something new," Vollmar said about the construction activity. "These guys are just flying."

THE NEW PORTION of the Duffy Daugherty Football Building on the Michigan State University campus.

WORKING ON THE ELECTRICAL for the new chiller system in the existing Duffy Daugherty Football Building are Steve Karkau and Brian Powe of IBEW Local 665 and Superior Electric.