Michigan State redshirt junior linebacker Darius Snow has entered the transfer portal, a program spokesperson confirmed to Spartans Illustrated on Monday. As a graduate transfer, Snow is able to enter the portal prior to the window opening for all players on Dec. 4.
Coming off of a significant leg injury in 2022, Snow appeared in just four games in 2023: versus Washington, versus Maryland, at Iowa and at Rutgers. He missed the first two games of the 2023 season as he continued to recover from the injury from the previous year before making his debut against the Huskies, and then was listed as "out" for the Spartans' final six games of the campaign.
Snow finished the 2023 season with six total tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, he played 55 defensive snaps on the year, including a season-high 24 defensive snaps against the Hawkeyes. Additionally, Snow was in for 30 snaps on specials teams.
Snow played 24 games as a Spartan. He recorded 98 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one interception, three passes defended and a fumble recovery. He began his career as a defensive back, playing both nickel back and safety for MSU, before making a transition to linebacker during the spring practices in 2022.
As mentioned, Snow suffered a significant injury to his leg in 2022. It happened during the season opener that year versus Western Michigan, which caused him to miss the rest of season. Snow has appeared in just five games over the past two seasons.
In 2021, Snow had a breakout season. He played in all 13 games, including nine-straight starts to close out the season (eight starts at nickel back and one at safety). Snow recorded 87 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, an interception, three passes defended and a fumble recovery. The Spartans went 11-2, with a win in the Peach Bowl over Pittsburgh that year.
It has been a rather turbulent road for Snow. A three-star safety in the class of 2020, Snow was originally recruited by then head coach Mark Dantonio and signed with Michigan State in December of 2019. After Snow enrolled early in January of 2020, Dantonio later abruptly announced his decision to retire the very next month in February. Later that month, MSU hired Mel Tucker as the program's new head coach. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, which canceled spring football and delayed the start of the fall season, limiting the schedule to conference-only games, and canceling some contests due to outbreaks. Then, as mentioned, Snow had a strong 2021 campaign, before dealing with significant injuries in 2022 and 2023. Now, after Tucker's firing, the Spartans once again have a new head football coach in Jonathan Smith.
Off the field, the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Texas native is a talented graphic designer.
Of course, Snow's father, Eric Snow, played basketball at Michigan State in the 1990s before going on to have a long career in the NBA. Additionally, his uncle, Percy Snow, was a four-year letterwinner for the Michigan State football program in the late 1980s, and later a first-round NFL Draft pick.
Darius Snow is the first player to enter the transfer portal since Smith's hire. However, just because a player enters the transfer portal does not necessarily mean that player is leaving the program, but of course, other schools can contact that player.
To keep up with all Michigan State transfer portal movement, click here.
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