PORTAL UPDATE: Michigan State picks up commitment from transfer portal running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver
Michigan State stayed hot on the portal recruiting trail Tuesday, this time adding a commitment from former Sacramento State running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Tau-Tolliver (6-1, 204) spent the last four seasons at Sacramento State. He carried the ball 184 times for 950 yards and seven touchdowns as a redshirt junior this fall, earning honorable mention All-Big Sky recognition in the process.
Tau-Tolliver had five games with at least 100 rushing yards in 2024. He logged 110 yards at San Jose State, 111 yards against Nicholls State, 127 yards at East Texas A&M, 141 yards against Weber State and 100 yards at Idaho State. He rushed for a career-high three touchdowns against Weber State.
The Sparks, Nev., native played in all 13 games for Sacramento State in 2023, logging 387 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 64 carries. He also caught seven passes for 38 yards and returned kickoffs for the Hornets. Tau-Tolliver played alongside senior Marcus Fulcher in the Sacramento State backfield that season.
Tau-Tolliver appeared in 13 games on special teams and as a backup running back as a redshirt freshman in 2022. He carried the ball 22 times for 192 yards that year. He played in four games in 2021 to preserve his redshirt. The running back shared a backfield with current Arizona State star Cam Skattebo at Sacramento State in 2021 and 2022.
Tau-Tolliver graduated from Sparks (Nev.) Reed High School as a member of the 2021 recruiting class. He received Gatorade Nevada Player of the Year honors in the spring of 2021.
Michigan State is surely relieved to have added proven production to its backfield ahead of the 2025 season. The Spartans will graduate sixth-year senior Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams, who transferred in from UMass last offseason. Redshirt junior Nathan Carter will also depart from the program, as he entered his name into the NFL Draft on Dec. 6.
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Spartan running backs coach Keith Bhonapha will return a pair of redshirt freshmen in Brandon Tullis and Mahki Frazier next season. Michigan State also signed two three-star running backs in Jace Clarizio and Zion Gist on Dec. 4.
A proven transfer like Tau-Tolliver will likely slot in as the Spartans’ lead back, giving time for the stable of younger backs to develop.
Tau-Tolliver represents Michigan State’s fifth transfer portal commitment this cycle. He joins offensive lineman Luka Vincic (Oregon State) in the class.
Michigan State also holds two wide receiver commitments in its portal class in former Kent State speed receiver Chrishon McCoy and former Middle Tennessee State deep threat Omari Kelly. Cornerback Joshua Eaton, formerly of Oklahoma and Texas State, rounds out the transfer class.
