SAN DIEGO _ In the glow of a Holiday Bowl victory, Mark Dantonio stopped short of calling Michigan State's football revival complete, despite almost his entire roster returning next year.
Despite finishing 10-3, a year after going 3-9.
"I would like to say we're back," he said, "but 2018 is around the corner."
Football coaches always look ahead. And there are more reasons for optimism for the Spartans going into this offseason compared to a year ago.
MSU finished with its sixth 10-win season under Dantonio in the past eight years. The Spartans tied Penn State, which they beat on Nov. 4, for second in the Big Ten East with a 7-2 conference record, and remained in the hunt for the league title until mid-November.
All of that with a first-year starting quarterback, a slew of new starters on the offensive and defensive lines and a roster that played 13 true freshmen this season, 16 redshirt freshmen and four true sophomores.
Which means expectations will skyrocket for next season. And the Spartans already are embracing it.
"We (set goals) one at a time, so the first one is winning the East and then the Big Ten championship," junior receiver Felton Davis said. "And then we put ourselves into a position to win the national championship."
MSU will return 10 starters on offense, eight on defense and all but one of their specialists. The list includes running back LJ Scott, who said Thursday after the Spartans' 42-17 Holiday Bowl win over Washington State that he plans to return for his senior season.
Only 12 seniors and three juniors who decided they would opt out of a final season are expected to be gone. Of those, only three were starters this year _ center Brian Allen, defensive end Demetrius Cooper and linebacker Chris Frey. Five others were second-stringers.
For an offense that scored 40 or more points in its last two games, 26 players on the depth chart return, led by quarterback Brian Lewerke, the Holiday Bowl offensive MVP.
"Oh, man, we might turn into the 'Air Raid,' " Davis joked, referencing the pass-happy offense Washington State's Mike Leach helped create. "It means a lot. We don't lose many people, and all our (offensive) line gets the growth. ... It speaks volumes for us as a unit."
For a defense that has ranked among the top 10 in the FBS for most of the season, 24 of the 27 starters will be back, including middle linebacker and team MVP Joe Bachie.
"You know, momentum _ we're building on it," Bachie said. "We got everyone but two (starters) returning. It's gonna be an exciting offseason, it's gonna be a great workout offseason. And we'll be looking forward to '18 in a couple weeks."
There could be more attrition, as happens with most programs, but it is unlikely the Spartans will lose the number and caliber of players it did after the 2016 season.
"I am excited. I think we have a good football team coming back," Dantonio said. "I think we have an outstanding recruiting class coming. So I think we will have guys that can help in that area on this football team.
"I think we're hungry. I think we're humble. We will work hard, believe in each other, believe is such a big part of it. We have confidence in each other. We will play hard and we will play tough."
Dantonio said after the Holiday Bowl that Scott's decision to return reminds him of the end of the 2014 season. MSU had rallied to beat Baylor in the Cotton Bowl Classic, and both Shilique Calhoun and Connor Cook opted to come back for their senior seasons. The Spartans won the Big Ten championship in 2015 and went to the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Which, he said, is possible for the 2018 Spartans, who open at home with Utah State on Friday, Aug. 31.
"The future is bright for this team," said Chris Frey, the departing senior captain who was part of those 2014 and 2015 teams. "I'm excited to continue watching this team grow, because we have so many young guys that have the ability to be great and with the work ethic I know they have that they showed in the off-season.
"The sky is the limit for everybody on this team."
