Michigan State May Regret Losing WR to Transfer Portal
The Michigan State Spartans were certainly lacking on offense this season, and while the offensive line was the most prominent issue, Michigan State was also short on weapons.
Yes, Nick Marsh is a budding star, and Montorie Foster Jr. was solid, but the Spartans did not exactly provide quarterback Aidan Chiles with a brilliant supporting cast.
Michigan State has added a couple of pieces in the transfer portal, bringing in Omari Kelly from Middle Tennessee State and Christian McCay from Kent State.
However, the Spartans also lost a wide receiver: Aziah Johnson.
Johnson entered the transfer portal after the season and ultimately committed to the University of North Carolina, joining freshly minted head coach Bill Belichick in Chapel Hill.
This could ultimately be a rather significant loss for Michigan State.
Johnson arrived at East Lansing in 2023 and did not have any sort of role during his freshman campaign, but this past year, he showed some flashes, logging 16 catches for 276 yards and a couple of touchdowns.
The Richmond, Va. native was not certainly not used consistently throughout 2024, but when he did get playing time, he was impressive.
On Nov. 16 against Illinois, for example, Johnson caught three passes for 70 yards and a touchdown, demonstrating his explosiveness and ability to establish himself as a playmaker.
But clearly, he did not like the opportunities he was getting at Michigan State, which was why he decided to depart.
Foster will also be gone next season, as he is making the jump to the NFL. That leaves the Spartans with Marsh as their only proven holdover weapon, and you kind of get the feeling that they missed out on a chance to see Johnson break out in 2025.
Next season is a pivotal year for Michigan State, as Chiles is entering his second season as the Spartans' quarterback after transferring over from Oregon State.
However, if he doesn't have a reliable group of weapons once again, it could cost Michigan State dearly. He seemed to have a decent rapport with Johnson, so losing the six-foot pass-catcher could ultimately serve as a "what if" moment for the Spartans.
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