Tag: Ben VanSumeren

Michigan State football LB Ben VanSumeren withdraws name from NCAA transfer portal

Michigan State football LB Ben VanSumeren withdraws name from NCAA transfer portal

For the second time this offseason, a Michigan State football linebacker has withdrawn his name from the NCAA transfer portal. On Monday, Ben VanSumeren withdrew his name and will remain at MSU after spending 35 days in the portal.

VanSumeren is following Ma’a Gaoetote, who did the same thing recently. VanSumeren was allowed to continue practicing with the team while in the portal, even participating in the spring game before deciding to stick with the Spartans. It’s worth noting that Ben’s brother Alex is a high-profile recruit who joined the Spartans this winter.

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This is definitely a nice trend to keep an eye on, as Mel Tucker seems to be handling these potential transfers differently than other coaches by still treating them as part of the team, letting them use facilities, and even giving them valuable reps in practice and in the spring game.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

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Michigan State football LB enters transfer portal

An MSU linebacker has entered the transfer portal

Michigan State’s defense has lost another player to the NCAA transfer portal on Monday. On the day the spring football roster was released, the Spartans have lost a member of their defense in linebacker Ben VanSumeren to the transfer portal.

This will be the second time in his career that VanSumeren will be in the transfer portal. The linebacker transferred to Michigan State from in-state rival Michigan last offseason.

VanSumeren’s little brother Alex was a 4-star recruit and the highest-rated recruit in Michigan State’s 2022 recruiting class.

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Michigan State football getting official visit from 4-star DT

4-star defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren will be taking an official visit to East Lansing. A top in-state target for Michigan State.

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Alex VanSumeren has been a top target for defensive line coach Ron Burton for several months now. It is safe to say that Essexville, Michigan native is the number one prospect on the defensive line recruiting board.

VanSumeren was one time a commit to the University of Michigan but decided to re-open his recruitment this February. He is currently ranked the No. 177 overall and No. 14 defensive tackle recruit in the nation according to the 247Sports composite ranking.

Michigan State will host VanSumeren on an official visit the first weekend of June, the first weekend visits will be allowed again.

Michigan State is battling the likes of Clemson, Alabama and Texas A&M for the 4-stars commitment.

VanSumeren’s brother Ben is a new addition to the Spartans roster as well, transfer this offseason from Michigan.

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Reactions to Ben VanSumeren’s transfer to MSU

Naturally a handful of current and former Michigan football players had a strong reaction when they heard Ben VanSumeren was MSU-bound.

If you’re of a Michigan persuasion, it’s a move you just don’t make — go to any other school except that one or the one in Ohio. If you’re a Michigan State fan, you love it. Either way, the Ben VanSumeren transfer from Ann Arbor to go play in East Lansing stirred up quite a whirl of emotions among the college football landscape on Saturday morning.

It’s not unheard of for players to switch from one side of a rivalry to another. Linebacker Edward Warinner, just last year, transferred from MSU to Michigan, with his father being on-staff with the Wolverines. But, it’s not a common happenstance, and like with Justin Boren when he transferred from Michigan to Ohio State after Lloyd Carr stepped down as the head coach, it can turn an attitude of reverence into one of hatred from fanbase to fanbase.

There weren’t a lot of notable media or player reactions when it came to VanSumeren’s transfer, beyond sharing the news, given the sensitivity that comes with embroiling a rivalry. But a current Michigan player weighed in, as did two former players. And a couple of media members also did, going outside of merely sharing the news.

Here’s the short list of reactions, with the most notable coming from the Wolverines player contingent.

MSU Football lands former Michigan LB Ben VanSumeren from transfer portal

Former Michigan LB Ben VanSumeren entered the transfer portal after three seasons in Ann Arbor. He will now be heading to Michigan State.

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Michigan State has added another new Spartan from the transfer portal, earning the commitment from Ben VanSumeren. VanSumeren will be transferring from in-state rival Michigan.

A member of Michigan’s 2018 recruiting class, from Essexville, Michigan and Garber High School and rated as a high 3-star.

VanSumeren has seen time as a starting linebacker at the SAM position in Ann Arbor, as well as a starting fullback. He will be coming to Michigan State as a linebacker who will excel at supporting in the run game.

VanSumeren’s younger brother, Alex, is also a priority recruit for Mel Tucker’s staff. Alex is a 4-star defensive tackle and is somewhat expected to follow his brother Ben. Let’s see if Mel Tucker can close out that recruitment in the Spartans favor.

Ben VanSumeren will be a great addition to help retool MSU’s defense and is an experienced linebacker, which is a position the Spartans desperately need some depth.

Follow all of Michigan State’s transfer activity here.

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Former Michigan player transfers to rival school

The Wolverines didn’t just lose out with one of their players entering the transfer portal, they lost them to rival MSU.

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Well, this is what you don’t want to see.

It’s been just over a week since Michigan football lost both current linebacker Ben VanSumeren and his brother, 2022 recruit Alex VanSumeren. The latter decommitted, seemingly due to a change in scheme, and the former entered the NCAA transfer portal under the same pretense.

As for Ben VanSumeren, he had a lot of different experiences across the team, starting at linebacker, moving to fullback, then running back before finally settling back in as Don Brown’s starting SAM linebacker. But with Brown out and Mike Macdonald coming to town with a 3-4 defense, VanSumeren sought a new chapter.

Unfortunately for Michigan fans, that chapter will take place in East Lansing as VanSumeren committed to Michigan State on Saturday.

It’s one thing to lose a player to the NCAA transfer portal. It’s certainly another for them to go to one of your school’s biggest rivals.

We’ll see how it plays out for both sides going forward.

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Michigan linebacker entering NCAA transfer portal

The Michigan football fullback-turned-running back-turned-linebacker has chosen to play elsewhere to finish his career.

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So much promise, yet again, unfulfilled in Ann Arbor.

Perhaps it’s another case of a player being shuffled around from position-to-position, lost in a scheme change. Or it could be something else. Whatever it is, Michigan linebacker Ben VanSumeren appears to be on his way out the door.

The Essexville (MI) Garber strongman started at fullback when he got to Ann Arbor in 2018, but the position was close to being eliminated — Ben Mason still got some time at the position, but it was on the decline in Josh Gattis’ offense. So VanSumeren switched to running back, where he got some carries in 2019, but after a fumble in Week 2, he was rarely, if ever seen at the position. In 2020, he switched to linebacker, where he played the SAM role.

It appeared, with Michigan football presumably switching to a 3-4 scheme in 2021 with new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald that VanSumeren could be a pivotal part of the new system as either an inside or outside linebacker. However, he announced on Friday that he’ll seek playing time elsewhere, having entered the NCAA transfer portal.

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The elder VanSumeren’s decision comes less than 24 hours after his younger brother, Alex, a 2022 four-star defensive tackle who was long committed to Michigan football, had announced his plan to reopen his recruitment.

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Jim Harbaugh: Michigan’s defensive identity in 2020 starts up front

Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh shares why the DL is the team’s defensive identity and who’s standing out in the linebacking corps

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What’s kept Michigan from being as dominant the past two years defensively as it was the three previous?

The Wolverines are still in the upper echelon of college football in terms of total defense — meaning, yards surrendered per game — but 2018 and 2019 have seen some serious lapses, particularly against Ohio State. Still, the maize and blue have finished no worse than No. 11 in that metric since Jim Harbaugh arrived, but there has to be a reason why it hasn’t been able to keep pace with the Buckeyes, right?

One part of it certainly could be the lack of push up front. In 2016, Michigan had eight sacks against OSU. In 2017, it had three. But in 2018 it had zero and managed just one in 2019.

So to say that the defensive line needs to improve, particularly in that game, it wouldn’t be terribly novel of an idea.

Thankfully, it appears that’s the defense’s strength heading into 2020, as Harbaugh told Jon Jansen on the Inside Michigan Football radio show that he feels the defensive front is that side of the ball’s identity — starting with the two ends up front.

“I think if you can picture – I know you can picture it, but Kwity Paye and Aidan Hutchinson – two — wow,” Harbaugh said. “Tremendous players and they’re having great camps. I kinda look over at them and I see the identity for our defense in those two. Really talented, great, high-effort kind of players. Carlo Kemp and Chris Hinton – and now Donovan Jeter also is really surging and doing great. Such a natural and good football player. And Jess Speight, total Michigan man. Talk about position switches and a guy who will do anything for the team — In there playing nose.

“Also, Luiji Vilain, looking for him to have a very good year. Taylor Upshaw is surging as a player. Also say Julius Welschof, keep an eye on him. He’s coming into his own. Mike Morris, Mazi Smith, Gabe Newburg – really turning into great football players.

“That group of defensive linemen – a lot of identity coming out of that group.”

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Michigan will need more than the front four in order to get the defense back in the top four, nationally, in 2020.

Behind them are two household names in Josh Ross and Cam McGrone, but there’s a newcomer, in terms of starting, in VIPER Michael Barrett — a former quarterback in high school.

Starting with Barrett, Harbaugh broke down the linebackers, including who could spell the starters as the game wears on. All-in-all, he appears happy with the depth.

“He’s a rock-solid guy,” Harbaugh said. “Tough competitor and experienced player. Feeling very good about the linebacking position with Michael Barrett, Josh Ross and Cam McGrone. And some other players are behind them. Ben VanSumeren is looking for, competing for a starting spot at the SAM backer, along with David Ojabo. Adam Shibley has really surged here the last couple months and is doing a great job at the MIKE position. He’s got versatility to play both MIKE and WILL. Outstanding young player.

“Anthony Solomon is a sophomore, but he’s doing a heckuva good job. The two freshmen to really look at are inside backer Nikhai Hill-Green and Kalel Mullings — both doing really well, especially for only being freshmen. So starters and depth are being developed there at the linebacker position. Jaylen Harrell – make another note, right there with Nikhai Hill-Green and Kalel Mullings standing out as freshmen – Jaylen Harrell is doing that as well.”

We’ll see all of the above in action in mere weeks, with the season opener at Minnesota kicking off on Oct. 24 at 7:30 P.M. EDT. The game will be nationally televised on ABC.

Newer linebackers making an impression on Michigan football senior Josh Ross

One true freshman and one player who made a position switch have caught the Michigan football senior’s eye.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The middle of Michigan’s defense is nearly unrecognizable from a few years ago — or even last year.

While Cam McGrone returns at middle linebacker, he didn’t play in 2018. Similarly, Josh Ross, who started at the position at the outset of 2019, missed the majority of the year with an injury, thus redshirting after having split time at WILL with Devin Gil in 2018.

Now, Gil is gone — having transferred to USF — as is the three-year starter at VIPER in Khaleke Hudson. It’ll be up to Ross to get, not only back into form, but to take a step forward as a full-time starter, along with new VIPER Michael Barrett, who’s been waiting in the wings for some time.

We know who will be the first out of the gates, but what about some of the others who could come in? We anticipate that second-year LB Anthony Solomon could see the field early, as a player who burned his redshirt in 2019, mostly on special teams. Michigan also brought in some impressive recruits, like Kalel Mullings and Osman Savage. But when asked who’s been impressing him most of the players who have yet to see the field, Ross named Savage’s teammate at Baltimore (MD) St. Frances Academy as the one who’s caught his eye.

“One of the guys that most impressed me is a freshman and he plays my position – Nikhai Hill-Green,” Ross said. “He’s a great, great guy. Great player. Still learning, but one thing I can say about him is he’s very instinctive. He’s very smart and he’s gonna be a good player for Michigan in the future for sure. He’s a great dude.”

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Hill-Green enrolled early, but with COVID-19 canceling spring ball the week before it was set to begin, he’s yet to put on the pads. But there’s another new face who’s worn the pads and has been known for his penchant for hitting.

Albeit on the offensive side.

Ben VanSumeren, the former fullback out of Essexville (MI) Garber, has been known in Ann Arbor as something of a workout warrior, an absolute specimen when it comes to his off-the-field persona.

Likened often to teammate Ben Mason, as Michigan has shifted away (mostly) from fullback on offense, VanSumeren got some play at tailback before making a full-minded switch back to linebacker, where he used to also play at the high school-level.

Ross is enthusiastic about his prowess on that side of the field, noting how instinctive he is at getting to the ball, along with the strength that comes from essentially living in the weight room.

“He’s acclimated very well,” Ross said. “Ben Van is one of those guys – another guy – hardworking guy. Big weight room guy. That guy is so strong – you wouldn’t even understand how strong that dude is. The speed he brings, the intensity he brings, the hard work on the field – just running to the ball, always around the ball, just getting there, never stops. He’s gonna have our defense moving at a positive direction this year for sure. He’s a great player.”

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