Lukusa is a 6-5, 308 (-22 since arriving) redshirt Sophomore offensive tackle from DePaul Catholic HS (Wayne NJ), Traverse City, MI, and Michigan State. Thiyo appeared in 7 games in 2016 as a true Freshman lineman for the Spartans, but the next spring he decided to leave the team and football. Here's what he told the Detroit Free Press:
Thiyo joined the Wildcats last August and he certainly has the potential to compete for a starting position if he has found his focus. He will likely start at least the first 2 games at left tackle as Layth Freikh is forced to sit out those games.“I really haven’t been in love with football since I was in high school,” Lukusa said via phone. “It’s been awhile, probably since I was a sophomore or junior. I went home for Christmas and had a great time with my family Up North -- just being away from football and doing other things and working out and playing basketball and running.
“I had been thinking about not playing for a long time. I finally just decided that I’m gonna go through with it and kind of weather the storm, whatever it brings.”
“I’m very grateful for opportunity they gave me at Michigan State and will forever cherish that chance,” Lukusa said. “I’m definitely not passionate enough about football right now to have my life revolve around it. I wasn’t happy. Football was a big portion of my life for a long time. And to give it up was hard to me.
“For me, the hardest part was giving up my friendships and the relationships I built at Michigan State. That was the hardest part for me. Football, at this point in my life, is kind of take-it-or-leave-it.”
701 yards was Tyrell Johnson's total kick return yards last year. His 26 yards/return will be difficult to replace this year.
