After a couple of years in the Twin Cities, De’Niro Laster has a personal need to get back closer to his Ohio roots.
In a text message to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Laster confirmed that he has decided to transfer out of the Minnesota football program. The Cleveland native told the Star-Tribune in the text that his family is going through an unspecified situation and he wants to be closer to them.
“I’m transferring home to be closer to my family, as we are going through a difficult family situation right now,” Laster wrote in the missive to the paper. “I will miss all of my teammates and the fans dearly! I don’t have a school picked right now, but I will have one in the upcoming week.
“I love Coach [Jerry] Kill, and I am thankful and honored for what we did there as a program. I wish the best to all my teammates and coaches!”
Regardless of the family situation, Laster will have to sit out the 2015 season if he ends up at another FBS program. The linebacker would then have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2016; he could play immediately at an FCS school and have three years left.
Laster, a three-star member of the Gophers’ 2013 recruiting class, was rated as the No. 35 outside linebacker in the country and the No. 34 player at any position in the state of Ohio. He took a redshirt as a true freshman, then played in nine games in 2014.
Coming out of high school, he held offers from, among others, Akron, Bowling Green and Toledo. According to Rivals.com‘s profile of the player, Ohio State showed some level of interest, although that interest never morphed into an actual scholarship offer. In fact, Minnesota and Illinois were the only Big Ten teams to officially offer Laster.