Michigan State linebacker Ma’a Gaoteote has withdrawn his name from the transfer portal, according to Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports. Gaoteote initially entered the transfer portal on Jan. 19 following his true freshman season. He announced his intention to look for opportunities outside of East Lansing in a since deleted tweet on Jan. 20. All of these signs point to Gaoteote changing his mind and deciding to return to the Spartans.
Source: The Only Colors
Mel Tucker made a major splash in December 2020 when he persuaded Gaoteote to drop his commitment with USC and sign with the Spartans. As the lone four-star prospect among Tucker’s first batch of recruits — a group the coach jokingly referred to as his “Zoom babies” — the Las Vegas product was expected to make an immediate impact. But he contributed just seven tackles as a freshman while playing 100 snaps on defense and special teams in eight games.
Source: Detroit Free Press
It was a busy week of MSU football, including national signing day on Wednesday. Graham, Chris, Nate and Phil recap everything on this week’s podcast.
Michigan State completed an early signing period flip of linebacker Ma’a Gaoteote out of Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, earning his commitment and receiving his national letter of intent on Wednesday. Gaoteote, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound four-star (per the 247Sports composite), had been committed to USC since February 2018. That was after the Trojans offered him in the fall of his junior year.
Source: Detroit News