How Mississippi State football landed Georgia tight end Ryland Goede in package deal
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football has a tight end, and he comes in a package deal benefitting the volleyball program.
Georgia transfer Ryland Goede announced his commitment to MSU via social media Monday. His fiancee Alexa Fortin, a transfer setter from UGA, announced she'll be joining him in the move to Starkville.
"We're both really, really pumped," Goede told the Clarion Ledger shortly after his commitment.
Goede and Fortin, who got engaged in March, hoped to transfer to the same university. However, when Fortin entered the transfer portal in early December, Mississippi State was among the programs that appealed to her most.
That was a problem for Goede as Mississippi State, running Mike Leach's Air Raid offense, didn't use a tight end. They'd adjust if they had to play at opposing schools, but they elected to not rush to a decision.
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The weeks that followed were packed. Goede saw his team clinch its second consecutive national title. As Georgia was making the run, Mississippi State was undergoing a coaching change.
Zach Arnett was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach following Leach's unexpected death on Dec. 12. A month later, Arnett hired Appalachian State offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay into the same role.
Barbay, whose tight end led App State in touchdown receptions last season, inherited a roster with no tight end. Suddenly, Goede had a chance to come to Starkville.
He visited last weekend, returned to Georgia to debrief with Fortin and made his decision.
"I want to create a tight end room that has a culture that can't be matched and that is second to none," Goede says he told Arnett. "My goal is to leave a legacy in the tight end room, on and off the field, that hopefully will last for years to come."
Goede spent four seasons at UGA where he appeared in 19 games. After playing behind Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington − players he considers to be two of the best tight ends in college football history − Goede said he felt ready to jump into a bigger role.
Goede spent much of his visit with MSU quarterback Will Rogers who he got to watch firsthand on Nov. 12 in Georgia's win at Davis Wade Stadium − an experience fresh in his mind.
"This would be a cool place for a kid to play," Goede remembers thinking.
Goede plans to graduate with a degree in journalism and mass communications with a certificate in sports media from Georgia in May. His wedding and honeymoon with Fortin will follow shortly after. Then, he'll head to Starkville and prepare to have the cowbells on his side.
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: TE Ryland Goede commits to Mississippi State football, Zach Arnett
