Michigan State football: 2017 position breakdown

EAST LANSING – Michigan State’s long, slow walk back to the locker room after its loss at Penn State began an even longer trudge toward 2017.

The cost of the Spartans’ 3-9 season means there is no bowl game to prepare for this month. There’s no immediate future for Mark Dantonio’s program for the first time in a decade, which means next season starts now.

“We start discovering who we are, what we need to fix, who we’re recruiting, who’s coming in and what we have to do. That all starts at an earlier time now,” Dantonio said after closing the season with a 45-12 loss to the Nittany Lions. “So we’re not going to take a month to figure out who we’re going to play or prepare for somebody that we’re going to play in January. I wish we could, but this time will be spent reevaluating ourselves and looking at what we have to do to make things better and correct some issues.”

That all started Monday, with team meetings and what are expected to be grueling off-season workouts. Most players will be back, but some could still leave – including star Malik McDowell. But here’s a look ahead to the Spartans’ 2017.

(Note: All players listed under “Arriving” are committed recruits who will not officially join the team until they sign their letters of intent or enroll early.)

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OFFENSE

Quarterback

Gone: Tyler O’Connor

Returning: Damion Terry, senior; Colar Kuhns, junior (walk-on); Brian Lewerke, sophomore; Messiah deWeaver, redshirt freshman

Arriving: Rocky Lombardi

Analysis: There will be a QB battle for the second straight season, without a clear favorite going into spring workouts. Lewerke floated in and out of the lineup for four games in the middle of the season, including starts against Northwestern and Maryland, before suffering a broken leg in relief of O’Connor against Michigan. Terry finally got his chance at Penn State, but a concussion ended the opportunity to show what he could do over a full game. And deWeaver, whose redshirt coaches did not want to burn, looked impressive last spring after enrolling early.

Running back/fullback

Gone: FB Prescott Line, FB/RB Delton Williams, RB Nick Tompkins

Returning: RB Gerald Holmes, senior; RB LJ Scott, junior; RB Madre London, junior; RB Malik Smith, redshirt freshman (walk-on); FB Collin Lucas, junior (walk-on); FB Reid Burton, redshirt freshman (walk-on)

Arriving: Weston Bridges

Analysis: Scott seized the starting job before the season and again late, book-ending a four-game stretch in which he fell out of favor, and Holmes was the hot back. Both have shown the ability to carry the load, which has left the speedy London as the odd man out. Lucas got the nod at fullback against Rutgers when starter Line was out.

Wide receiver

Gone: R.J. Shelton, Monty Madaris, Edward Barksdale III, Matt Macksood, Frank Epitropoulos, Paul Andrie

Returning: Brock Makaric, senior (walk-on); Robert Aiello, senior (walk-on); Austin Wolfe, senior (walk-on); Felton Davis III, junior; Brandon Sowards, junior (walk-on); Darrell Stewart Jr., sophomore; Donnie Corley, sophomore; Trishton Jackson, sophomore; Justin Layne, sophomore; Davis Lewandowski, sophomore (walk-on); Cam Chambers, redshirt freshman; Khylin Barton, redshirt freshman (walk-on)

Arriving: Hunter Rison, Cody White

Analysis: Corley flashed skills similar to Shelton's and a higher upside as a rookie. Davis and Stewart failed to meet preseason expectations and need a strong off-season, and Jackson surprised with his athletic and blocking ability. It’s doubtful Layne returns to the offense, but Chambers showed good ball skills, strength and speed during the 2016 spring game after enrolling in January but eventually taking a redshirt.

Tight end

Gone: Josiah Price, Jamal Lyles, Hussien Kadry

Returning: Matt Sokol, junior; Matt Seybert, sophomore; Noah Davis, redshirt freshman

Arriving: Jack Camper, Matt Dotson

Analysis: The graduation of Price is one of the biggest losses. Sokol, a converted high school quarterback, got more snaps throughout the year. Davis impressed coaches during his redshirt season and began taking reps with the first- and second-team offense after MSU’s bowl fate was sealed. Seybert sat out as a transfer from Buffalo, and both Camper and Dotson are highly regarded recruits who could see immediate playing time if they can handle the physical rigors.

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Offensive line

Gone: Kodi Kieler, Benny McGowan, Miguel Machado, Brandon Clemons

Returning: OG/C Brian Allen, senior; OT Dennis Finley, senior; C Devyn Salmon, senior; OT/OG David Beedle, junior; OG Chase Gianacakos, junior; OG Jeremy Schram, junior (walk-on); OG/OT Nick Padla, junior; OG Casey Schreiner, junior (walk-on); OT Cole Chewins, sophomore; OG Tyler Higby, sophomore; OG Collin Caflisch, sophomore (walk-on)s; OT Noah Listerman, sophomore; OT/OG Thiyo Lukusa, sophomore; OG/C Matt Allen, redshirt freshman; OG/OT Luke Campbell, redshirt freshman; OT/OG A.J. Arcuri, redshirt freshman

Arriving: Matt Carrick, Kevin Jarvis, Mustafa Khaleefah, Jordan Reid

Analysis: Kieler and Clemons were MSU’s unsung heroes in a year of youth and inconsistency around them. Brian Allen will be one of the team’s best leaders and should be an All-American candidate. Both Higby and Chewins appear to have solidified starting jobs next year after manning the left side of the line in tandem before Higby’s broken ankle. Beedle and Finley need strong off-seasons to show they can be counted upon. Lukusa saw a ton of action for a true freshman. Coaches bumped Matt Allen, Campbell and Arcuri into the practice mix late in the year.

DEFENSE

Defensive tackle

Gone: Kevin Williams, Brandon Clemons

Returning: Malik McDowell, senior; Devyn Salmon, senior; Gerald Owens, junior; Raequan Williams, sophomore; Kyonta Stallworth, sophomore; Mike Panasiuk, sophomore; Naquan Jones, redshirt freshman; Drew Beesley, redshirt freshman (walk-on)

Arriving: Jacub Panasiuk

Analysis: Listing McDowell is a formality, as he’s expected to declare for the NFL draft. Raequan Williams and Mike Panasiuk manned the starting spots after McDowell’s ankle injury at Illinois and look like they will form a strong tandem for the next three years. Stallworth saw some time as a backup late in the season, and Jones – like Panasiuk a highly rated recruit out of the Chicago area – sat out as a redshirt after a hand injury early in the season.

Defensive end

Gone: Evan Jones, Gabe Sherrod

Returning: Demetrius Cooper, senior; Robert Bowers, junior; Dillon Alexander, junior (walk-on); Justice Alexander, sophomore; Josh King, sophomore; Auston Robertson, sophomore; Kenny Willekes, sophomore (walk-on); Mufi Hill-Hunt, redshirt freshman.

Arriving: Lashawn Paulino-Bell, Donovan Winter

Analysis: Bowers and Dillon Alexander flashed some pass rush ability late in the season. Cooper struggled to generate pressure all season. Both King and Robertson have been considered the Spartans’ future on the edge. Their off-season development will be one of the most important story lines going into spring workouts. Hill-Hunt has a high motor and quickness, but he needs to add more weight to face Big Ten offensive tackles.

Linebacker

Gone: Riley Bullough, Ed Davis

Returning: Jon Reschke, senior; Chris Frey, senior; Shane Jones, senior; Sean Harrington, senior; T.J. Harrell, junior; Byron Bullough, junior; Andrew Dowell, junior; Tyriq Thompson, sophomore; Joe Bachie, sophomore; Brandon Randle, redshirt freshman; Peter Fisk, redshirt freshman (walk-on); Dante Razzano, redshirt freshman (walk-on).

Arriving: Darien Clemons

Analysis: Frey was the only defensive player to start every game and showed intensity and quickness, though he’ll need to harness some of that to play more gap-sound football. Reschke should be back for two seasons if he gets a medical redshirt. Dowell flashed athletic ability but had his struggles as well. Those three could be starting together, though it’s more likely they’ll look for someone else to man the middle.

Safety

Gone: Demetrious Cox, Zac Leimbach

Returning: Montae Nicholson, senior; Grayson Miller, junior; Matt Morrissey, junior; Khari Willis, junior; Jalen Watts-Jackson, junior; David Dowell, sophomore; Kenney Lyke, sophomore; Nick Krumm, sophomore (walk-on); Demetric Vance, redshirt freshman.

Arriving: Dominique Long

Analysis: Nicholson is the wildcard in all of this as a draft-eligible player. Should he leave, that would be a big loss for a unit that struggled all season. Miller and Willis have big-game starting experience, and both Lyke and Vance are highly regarded youngsters who must show they grasp MSU’s defensive demands in pass and run coverage.

Cornerback

Gone: Darian Hicks

Returning: Drake Martinez, senior; Vayante Copeland, junior; Tyson Smith, junior; Josh Butler, sophomore; David Dowell, sophomore; Justin Layne, sophomore; Kaleel Gaines, sophomore; Donnie Corley, sophomore; Austin Andrews, redshirt freshman; Corey Pryor, redshirt freshman (walk-on).

Arriving: Josiah Scott

Analysis: Copeland, Smith and Butler all had chances to play before Layne seized the starting job after moving from wide receiver. He’ll likely stick there, which leaves the veterans to fight to be Hicks’ replacement after his sound senior season. How coaches use Corley on both sides of the ball will be interesting.

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SPECIAL TEAMS

Kickoff returns

Gone: R.J. Shelton

Returning: Donnie Corley, Darrell Stewart Jr.

Punt returns

Gone: R.J. Shelton

Returning: Brandon Sowards, Corley, Stewart

Place-kicker

Gone: Michael Geiger

Returning: Matt Coughlin, redshirt freshman; Brett Scanlon, senior

Holder

Gone: Matt Macksood

Returning: Brian Lewerke

Kickoffs

Gone: Kevin Cronin

Returning: Coughlin, Scanlon

Punter

Returning: Jake Hartbarger, junior

Snapper

Returning: Collin Caflisch, sophomore; Ryan Armour, redshirt freshman.

Analysis: Getting the ball into Corley’s hands should be a must, and special teams coach Mark Snyder said he has a future in the return game. Geiger finished strong after early struggles, and it’s Coughlin’s turn to see if he, too, can be a four-year kicker who can potentially handle both field goals and kickoff.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari.

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