“We’re very excited to hear the news about Ed Davis receiving his sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA,” Dantonio said in the statement. “We felt all along throughout this process that Ed would get an opportunity to play this season once the paperwork was submitted and reviewed."

Dantonio also thanked those who helped Davis back to health and eligibility and said, “I appreciate their efforts in having a young man finish his collegiate career on the field, rather than the sidelines. Ed is an outstanding football player and has persevered through this past year. We’re looking forward to him getting back in a Green and White uniform for the Spartans this fall.”

Davis suffered a season-ending torn ACL during the first practice in pads in 2015. The post-practice MRI indicated surgery was needed for the fifth-year senior linebacker, putting his playing days in limbo.

To be granted a sixth year of eligibility, Davis had to graduate and send an application to the NCAA. After graduating in August, the waiting period ensued.

“Ed fulfilled his requirements by earning his degree this summer, so it’s great to see him get rewarded after missing all of last year with a knee injury,” Dantonio added in the statement.

In recent weeks, Dantonio revealed Davis had been allowed to practice and was going to classes. He also stressed that if Davis were allowed to play, it would take time for him to get back into football form.

“You’ve got to remember that Ed did not participate in spring drills, so he’s got to get comfortable with his knee again, and acclimate himself back to football at this level, so it’s going to take a little bit,” Dantonio said back in August. “You know he hasn’t played in a couple weeks, he really hasn’t played in quite a while, so it’s going to take him a couple weeks to get himself squared away.”

Davis was widely considered to be one of the Big Ten’s best linebackers, if not one of the top in the nation, before succumbing to the ACL tear. He was listed on the 2015 Bednarik Award Watch List for defensive player of the year and was a preseason All-Big Ten selection by various media outlets.

In his career, Davis has amassed 80 career tackles, with 16.5 of those tackles for loss, and 11 sacks. Davis took on the role of strong side linebacker before his injury, and was replaced by junior linebacker Jon Reschke in 2015.

Reschke was injured before the opener against Furman this season and was replaced by Chris Frey, though Reschke is expected to be healthy enough to play against Notre Dame.

MSU football’s linebacking corps, already widely heralded as one the top corps in the nation, will be bolstered by the return of Davis. His return will add depth to an already versatile group of linebackers, which will more than likely become a unit heavy on rotating players in and out of starting roles.