Former East High Star Siaki Ika Reportedly Leaving LSU, Entering Transfer Portal
Oct 28, 2020, 12:44 PM | Updated: 12:51 pm
East High defensive tackle Siaki "Apu" Ika committed to LSU on 2019 Signing Day. (Photo courtesy of Deseret News)
(Photo courtesy of Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – LSU nose tackle and former East High star Siaki Ika is entering the Transfer Portal, according to Blair Angulo from 247Sports.
A 6-foot-4, 340-pound nose tackle, Ika played in 13 games last year as a true freshman during LSU’s National Championship run. This season, Ika saw a significant dip in his usage in the Tigers game against South Carolina.
🙇🏽♂️🙇🏽♂️💭
— Siaki Ika'🇹🇴 (@Jackfish801) October 28, 2020
LSU has made a scheme change to their defense this season. Last year, the Bayou Bengals played a 3-4 that aligned perfectly with Ika’s skill set. Now LSU is primarily aligned in a 4-3, and it’s cut into Ika’s snap count during his sophomore season.
To date, Ika has recorded 22 tackles, 1 sack, 2.5 tackles for loss in his career in Baton Rouge.
Year 1✅ “Official” ~ Jack Fi$h Droppin soon👀💯 #$hh$hhTheMovement🤫🤫 🎥 : @philliplaborde 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/71nylwiaFd
— Siaki Ika'🇹🇴 (@Jackfish801) May 27, 2020
Coming out of East High, Ika was a prized four-star recruit in the class of 2019. Turning down offers from the likes of Florida, Oregon, and USC. Here in the state, Utah was one of the five schools that Ika toured on an official visit during his recruitment.
Ika was once a commit to BYU. The Cougars were the first school to offer the former East High star before he enrolled in high school back in 2016. Ika committed to BYU during a summer camp while current Alabama linebacker Ale “Brandon” Kaho committed to the Cougars.
In 2018, after receiving offers from Power 5 programs around the country, Ika de-committed from BYU and later signed with LSU the following December.
When student-athletes enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, they can immediately contact schools in hopes of finding a new landing spot. This will be a recruitment that should carry a lot of interest for the state’s top two local programs in Utah and BYU. Ika will have four years to play three seasons for his next program, wherever he chooses.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m., KSL Newsradio). Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
