High above Michigan State's weight room, a large sign displays the team shield and several values and messages that resonate for the program.

At the start of the 2010 season, coach Mark Dantonio produced the shield, which includes a sword, three program values -- effort, toughness, knowledge -- as well as the Spartan logo and a No. 1. It's based on a shield from the U.S. Marine Corps, and Dantonio gave each player a smaller shield containing both the Marines' shield -- Communicate, Commitment, Trust -- along with the Spartan shield. Effort, toughness and knowledge are displayed next to the shield, below the word "Championship" and above the phrase "We are one. We are Spartans."

The shield reminds players of what they're striving for in the program.