Senior offensive tackle Fou Fonoti announced Sunday night he would return for the 2013 season, according to a press release by the MSU athletics department.
Fonoti will be granted a medical redshirt after missing the majority of the 2012 campaign with a broken foot suffered in practice prior to the Sept. 15 game against Notre Dame.
The 6-foot-4, 296-pound transfer from Cerritos College had surgery the following day and had the option of attempting to return later in the season, or trying for the medical red shirt and coming back in 2013.
“We discussed all the options,” Fonoti said in a statement to the athletics department.
“And as tough as it was, in my heart, I had a straightforward answer: `I’ve got to come back.’ When I signed that National Letter of Intent (in February 2011), I devoted my everything to being a Spartan, and I haven’t fulfilled my expectations yet.”
Fonoti started 11 games at right tackle for the Spartans in 2011 and the first two games of 2012.
He is one of 12 Spartans named an “Eagle” — the team’s leadership council — and served as MSU’s fourth captain against the Fighting Irish.
“Fou’s decision to come back is huge for us in a lot of respects,” junior quarterback Andrew Maxwell said in a statement to MSU. “He’s obviously an experienced player, but he also provides great leadership. Fou is one of the most well-liked and most-respected guys on the team, so he has a real presence in the locker room.”
The Spartans (5-5 overall, 2-4 Big Ten) will play their final home game of the season Saturday to face Northwestern (7-3, 3-3) after coming off a bye week.
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