Mel Tucker's first MSU Quarterback Signee Enters Transfer Portal

After a couple position changes, it was clear his best opportunity to get on the field lay elsewhere...

Author:
Matthew Lounsberry
Publish date:
Apr 18, 2023 2:36 PM EDT

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Michigan State Football has suffered its first loss from its spring roster to the transfer portal — former quarterback-turned-tight end Hampton Fay.

Signing with the 2021 class, Fay was MSU's first quarterback recruit brought in by head coach Mel Tucker's coaching staff. A former three-star prospect, Fay came to East Lansing ranked No. 1098 overall and the No. 78 QB in his class.

After redshirting during the 2021 season, Fay battled fellow quarterbacks Noah Kim and incoming freshman Katin Houser for the backup role ahead of the 2022 season. After finishing fourth behind Kim and Houser on the QB depth chart last spring, Fay switched positions to safety during fall camp eventually tight end last season.

This spring, Fay went through spring practice with the tight ends, as the 6-foot-5, 240-pounder searched for a potential role. It's clear, however, that the redshirt sophomore had very few avenues of getting on the field. He never played a down of football for the Green and White during his two years in East Lansing, and has three years of eligibility remaining.

Fay was one of 10 tight ends listed on Michigan State's spring roster. The Spartans brought in three transfer tight ends this offseason — Ademola Faleye (Norfolk State), Jaylin Franklin (Wisconsin), Tyneil Hopper (Boise State) — as they look to replace departed TEs Daniel Barker and Tyler Hunt.

Michigan State returns veterans Maliq Carr, Jackson Morse and Evan Morris to the position, and have a crop of young options in redshirt freshmen Micheal Manunas and Jack Nickel and true freshman Brennan Parachek.

The spring transfer portal window opened on April 15 and will remain until the 30th. Former Michigan State defensive end Itayvion Brown, who was dismissed from the team after being charged with felony gun charges in March, entered the portal this past Saturday. Michigan State has lost 11 players to the transfer portal since the end of the 2022 season.

“I’m not sure how much attrition we’ll have,” Tucker said after the Spartans' final spring practice. “We’ll see how things go. We may be able to add a couple players. These next couple of weeks will be critically important for that. The portal can be somewhat unpredictable so we’ll keep a close eye on it.”

For the latest updates on Michigan State's transfer additions and losses, click here.

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