Michigan State linebacker Ben VanSumeren heads to transfer portal

After one season in East Lansing, linebacker Ben VanSumeren is heading back into the transfer portal.

The redshirt senior who transferred in from Michigan last year will spend his final year of eligibility elsewhere after playing in 13 games for MSU, racking up 12 tackles on the season.

However, since VanSumeren had immediate eligibility with MSU in 2021, that likely means he will have to sit out a year at his new school — if he isn’t transferring as a graduate student — if he does in fact leave.

Interestingly, VanSumeren was listed on Michigan State’s spring roster, which was released on Monday.

He split his time between linebacker (122 snaps) and special teams (133 snaps) this previous year, grabbing a season-high four tackles at Ohio State. He also got the start against Rutgers after Cal Haladay was ruled ineligible for the first half thanks to his (bogus) targeting call against Western Kentucky the week prior (still NOT over that call).

With the return of starters Cal Haladay and Quavaris Crouch, top-end prospect Ma’a Gaoteote and transfer additions Jacoby Windmon (UNLV) and Aaron Brule (Mississippi State), it was apparent a logjam was occurring in MSU’s two-linebacker scheme.

Also, the fun storylines of Ben playing alongside his younger brother — four-star defensive lineman Alex VanSumeren — are now gone, too. So that’s a bummer, but we wish nothing but the best for Ben moving forward.