Gotay is a super senior with one year of eligibility remaining for the Tigers. Gotay’s career at Maryland first started in 2018, playing in four games and redshirting with two tackles to show for it. In 2019 Gotay played in nine games and totaled 26 tackles. The 2020 COVID season was just five games for Maryland, but Gotay played in four of them starting in three and totaling 23 tackles. He was a medical redshirt in 2021 suffering a season-ending injury in the season opener.

The veteran Terrapin appeared in 24 games over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, starting in six of them. He tallied 37 tackles and 44 tackles, respectively, including 2.5 sacks in 2023 and an interception in both seasons. Gotay led his team with six tackles in the Music City Bowl against Auburn.

His Maryland career briefly overlapped with new Auburn defensive coordinator and linebackers coach D.J. Durkin who was the head coach of the Terrapins until being fired midway through the 2018 season.

In the winter portal window Auburn signed former Duke linebacker Dorian Mausi Jr., who also arrives with one year of eligibility. Mausi joined returning starters Eugene Asante and Austin Keys, along with Robert Woodyard who’s looking to become a bigger piece in Year 3. The Tigers also signed touted freshmen Demarcus Riddick and DJ Barber, who now have an extra player to lean on with the addition of Gotay.

Auburn was hovering around the 80 scholarship mark, now using one of those spare spots on Gotay for a year. Hugh Freeze and his staff also recently added former Colorado and Alabama defensive back Jahquez Robinson through the transfer portal.