Freshman defensive tackle Jay Toia shocked USC fans when he decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal on May 24.
Toia committed to USC back in 2018, and enrolled early this spring. He spent spring ball with the Trojans and competed in USC's Spring Showcase. Despite having an impressive debut, Toia said he, "felt forced to make a major decision signing with USC based on limited information because of COVID-19 restrictions." After being on campus for a few short months it became clear that he needed a change.
Toia took official visits to Michigan and UCLA before making his final decision. He announced his commitment to the UCLA Bruins on Tuesday night.
All Trojans spoke to a source close to the Toia family who provided further insight on Toia's decision to leave USC.
"Jay felt like USC didn't fulfill their promises. He didn’t feel like it was a good fit with the coaching staff during spring ball. Him and his family felt they needed to explore other options."
The source said that Toia was very impressed by his visit to Michigan, but Ann Arbor was far from home. The long distance was a factor in his decision to commit to the UCLA Bruins.
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