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Michigan State's Delton Williams has shown signs that he could be a starting tailback at Michigan State.

(Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

EAST LANSING -- Tailback Delton Williams is expected to return to the Michigan State football team, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.

Williams, a rising junior from Erie, Pennsylvania, could rejoin the team as early as this month in the Spartans' voluntary summer workouts, barring any unforeseen developments.

Williams could face a multi-game suspension -- which may or may not ultimately result in him redshirting -- and he will not immediately be reinstated to scholarship status.

Coach Mark Dantonio, who has led Michigan State to bowl trips each of his eight years as the Spartans' head coach, has not publicly updated Williams' status since the suspension.

Williams has yet to be added to the team's roster, and an athletic department spokesperson would not confirm any information.

Records indicate Williams has not been enrolled at Michigan State since the conclusion of the spring semester. He was suspended from team activities on March 17, prior to the start of MSU's spring camp.

Athletic director Mark Hollis said at a June 5 press conference that Williams' situation involved "a collaborative decision.''

Williams was suspended after getting arrested on the misdemeanor charge of brandishing a firearm in public when he and another motorist had a traffic dispute in March.

The other motorist wrote a letter to Michigan State Police requesting the charges be dropped after learning Williams lost his older brother in an unsolved murder in Pennsylvania.

Williams, who had a permit for the gun, pleaded guilty to a reduced weapons charge on April 29.

As part of the agreement -- which included the forfeiture of Williams' firearm -- the plea may be withdrawn and the case dismissed on Dec. 18 if there are no other violations.

Williams was subject to the Michigan State University student judicial process after the court case was settled. The results of any MSU student judicial process are sealed and not subject to open records law.

Delton Williams was excited to return to the football building and pick up his 2014 Michigan State Cotton Bowl ring after months of being excluded from team activities, but his Tweet was quickly taken down.

Williams received his 2014 season Cotton Bowl ring in June.

Williams displayed a picture of the ring on Twitter on June 19 with the message: "Just the beginning ... came a long way blessed to be a Spartan !!!"

The Tweet was quickly taken down, leaving many to speculate about Williams' future with the football team.

Spartans co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach Dave Warner did not mention Williams during a June interview about the competition at the position.

Sophomore Gerald Holmes and redshirt freshman Madre London exited spring drills atop the depth chart, and incoming freshman LJ Scott is expected to compete immediately.

Williams rushed for 316 yards on 54 carries last season with a team-best 5.9 yards-per-attempt average.

The Spartans open fall drills on Aug. 8 and kick off the season at Western Michigan on Sept. 4.

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