Junior wide receiver B.J. Cunningham, senior offensive lineman J’Michael Deane, senior wide receiver Mark Dell and senior cornerback Chris L. Rucker have been reinstated and were scheduled to participate in the Spartans’ first spring practice Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s been four months since these guys have taken part in any football activities, so without question it’s been a very long time,” Dantonio said. “I feel like they’ve endured. Endured the football end of things, endured the judicial process and also endured the public ridicule, or whatever you want to call it.”

After being reinstated by Dantonio on Monday night, the four players requested to speak to the media to apologize. After Tuesday evening’s practice, the four players, dressed in suits, did so.

“I felt it was necessary, not just for myself,” Dell said. “I felt like I let myself down with this mistake, but there’s also a lot of people out there affected by me — my family, friends, coaches, younger kids that look up to me, I’m just happy to be back and have a second chance. It didn’t have to be that way. Not everyone got a second chance.”

Deane said one of the hardest parts of his suspension was having to watch the 2010 Valero Alamo Bowl on TV and listen to commentators.

“It hurt having to sit home and watch my teammates and they’re working real hard, trying to get a victory and all the announcers are going to talk about is the negative side,” Deane said. “They weren’t talking about how they had to work so hard through adversity because of the mistakes we made, and that hurt. It hurt a lot.”

Dantonio also said freshman wide receiver Donald Spencer already had been reinstated after not being charged in connection to the assault.

Dantonio said nose tackle Oren Wilson and wide receiver Myles White are “in the process of transition” and will not return to the team.

He also said a decision on the future of sophomore wide receiver Fred Smith would take place after Smith fulfills his judicial obligations. Smith was sentenced Friday to five days in jail after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit assault and battery.

The future of other players connected to the incident not named by Dantonio is unknown.

“If I didn’t name them off there’s probably a situation there in where they’re in transition,” Dantonio said.

Despite the attrition, Dantonio said he will continue to stand by current and former players who were involved in the incident.

“We move forward. They are still my players, whether they are here or elsewhere, I will stand by them and support them because I want them to be successful in life,” Dantonio said. “That’s how life goes sometimes. We wish them all the best.”

Staff writer Joey Nowak contributed to this report