Thanks to an on-again, off-again Baylor football player, we have something you don’t see very often.
In late April, Paul Matavao-Poialii entered the NCAA transfer database. Very shortly thereafter, the offensive lineman, as is his right, pulled his name out of the database. Thursday, however, a Baylor football official confirmed that Matavao-Poialii and his name are back in the portal.
Thus far, there’s been no explanation for the flip-flop. The initial one, or the latest one for that matter.
Now, for what’s seemingly becoming a daily disclaimer when it comes to transfers.
As we’ve stated myriad times in the past, a player can remove his name from the portal and remain at the same school. At this point, though, other programs are permitted to contact a player without receiving permission from his current football program.
NCAA bylaws also permit schools to pull a portal entrant’s scholarship at the end of the semester in which he entered it.
Matavao-Poialii was a three-star member of the Baylor football Class of 2019. He was rated as the No. 63 guard in the country. Only one offensive lineman in the Bears’ class that year, Blake Bedier, was rated higher.
The California prospect also held Power Five offers from Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Oregon State. As for visits, he took ones to Baylor, Kansas and Oregon State. Fresno State and Hawaii were among his officials as well.
As a true freshman, Matavao-Poialii took a redshirt. The offensive lineman will have to sit out the 2020 season. That will leave him with three years of eligibility starting in 2021.