After an up-and-down three years at Michigan State, Vayante Copeland’s days as a Spartan are over.

Mark Dantonio confirmed that the junior cornerback is no longer with the team and that he wouldn’t be returning.

That was two months after Dantonio refuted a report that Copeland was kicked off the team and that he was #redlocked.

Dantonio did not say specifically what led to that decision to remove Copeland.

Copeland was charged of misdemeanor marijuana possession in 2015, and was granted three opportunities to enter a court-sponsored diversionary program. It wasn’t known what led to him being rejected from the diversionary program.

The former three-star cornerback only played in nine career games at MSU — he started in five in 2016 — but he was expected to start for the Spartans in 2017. He had 36 tackles and one interception before a broken foot ended his 2016 season.

Without Copeland, MSU’s defensive depth took yet another hit. After losing Malik McDowell and Montae Nicholson early to the draft, the Spartan defense was decimated in the offseason.

RELATED: MSU trustee: Ex-Spartan informed Dantonio about sexual assault investigation

Former four-star 2016 recruits Auston Robertson, Donnie Corley and Josh King were kicked off the team after being charged in two separate alleged sexual assaults. Jon Reschke left the team after an incident involving a teammate. The Spartans also lost safety Kenney Lyke and cornerback Kaleel Gaines via transfer.

On top of that, Dantonio said that the status of defensive lineman Demetrius Cooper is uncertain and that he would make that decision shortly.

Cooper was accused of violating his bond agreement for possessing alcohol in May. He was in that position after facing a misdemeanor assault charge for spitting in an East Lansing Parking and Code Enforcement officer’s face in November.