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INSIDE THE FORT, MAY 28: Part One — USC Portal DL One To Watch Closely

ChrisBalas

Austin Powers, Goldmember
Jul 6, 2001
117,518
284,319
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Dexter, MI
www.thewolverine.com
In a surprise move, USC freshman defensive tackle Jay Toia has entered his name into the transfer portal. Michigan made a run at the 6-3, 320-pound Simi Valley (Cali.) product last year and had made some headway, even though he’d been committed to the Trojans since June of 2018, and told Toia last year he was the No. 1 tackle on their board.

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He formed a bond with fellow Polynesian and U-M defensive tackles coach Shaun Nua at the time.

“I just feel his energy,” Toia said. “It’s not fake. Every time he’s in the room, I can just feel what he says. Another thing is that he is Polynesian. You know, Polynesian people connect. Coach Nua always stays in contact. I love him.”

And that’s one of the big reasons why the Wolverines will have a real shot here. Toia is exactly what they need on the interior of their defensive line, and he’s a monster. It’s unclear why he’s leaving USC, which really needs him on the interior, especially after he enrolled early and made an impact this spring.

“Now, having watched him practice, I love his competitiveness,” head coach Clay Helton told USC beat writers last month. “I love his coachability and the plays that he’s making on the field. You’re talking about a 330-pound man who you have to double-team. If you single him, it’s a hard day.

“We’re very fortunate to have Jay here. It was a great, competitive battle in recruiting to get him here. He has a very bright future at USC.”



And he is flat-out relentless, as are many of the Polynesian players. Our Doug Skene, former Michigan All-Big Ten lineman and NFL starter with the New England Patriots, told us on the golf course recently he always hated going head-to-head with Polynesian defensive linemen because they “never took plays off.”

“It was the same thing, every time,” he praised. “I’d look across from me and say, ‘oh, sh#$.’ I knew I was in for a long day of work.”

Toia is expected on campus within two weeks, and there’s some confidence that his relationship with Nua could be the difference. He made it clear last year in March just how much he thought of Jim Harbaugh and his program, noting it was an “honor” to talk to the coach. The former four-star committed to the Trojans when he was young.

“My cousin (Stanley Taufoou) had just committed there, and he was living with me. I grew up in L.A., so it was home for me,” he said. “I thought it was going to be my biggest offer.”

He’ll be a hot commodity, but it’s clear from everything we’ve gathered in the last 24 hours that U-M has a very real shot. This will be one to watch closely.

“I love Michigan,” Toia said last year. “I grew up a USC fan, but Michigan was always on every headline. Everything that had to do with football had Michigan in it.

“Their fan base is crazy. I love their coaches. They just always talk to me.”

They’ll continue that relationship with one goal in mind — to get him in a Michigan uniform this fall and provide immediate help up front on a line that really needs big, physical bodies.
 
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