Former Eastern Michigan kicker Chad Ryland has announced his transfer to Maryland.
Ryland committed to Maryland over Rutgers and West Virginia along with offers from Liberty and Virginia Tech.
“I told coach [Ron] Zook on [Monday] night and coach [Mike] Locksley was in a meeting, so I told him [Tuesday] morning,” Ryland told Inside the Black and Gold. He details his reason for picking the Terps. “The reason I picked Maryland is not for the reason right or wrong anywhere else, it’s just the spot that I feel I’m going to have the best chance to be successful and hopefully play my last year out here and then take that next step to the NFL.”
Ryland initially planned to play his final season at Eastern Michigan, but after Oklahoma plucked special teams coordinator Jay Nunez away from the program, the veteran kicker was tasked with a new decision to make. “I was originally planning to play at Eastern this past year, but some changes happened coaching-wise at Eastern that sort of caused me to say ‘ok, maybe it’s time for me to explore and take my game to a little bit of a higher level this past year.’” The ultimate decision was to enter the transfer portal as Ryland became available back on January 21, leading to a fast-rise in Power Five interest. “This whole process for me, it would be comparable to speed dating,” Ryland joked.
Liberty was the first school to offer while Rutgers, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia Tech all followed suit in a whirlwind of a process.
Ryland took his first official visit to Rutgers last Monday, then an official visit to Maryland beginning last Wednesday with a concluding official visit to West Virginia beginning that Friday. In the end, the Terps won out as Ryland now looks ahead to enrolling with the program. “There is a way, I believe, for me to be there for spring ball fairly soon which was another one of the key factors why I went to Maryland. Being able to get in somewhere for spring ball, get used to the guys, snap-hold operation and just get settled in.”
With one season of eligibility remaining, Ryland fills a need as Maryland’s kicker in 2022 after Joseph Petrino exhausted his eligibility. Maryland returns walk-on and former McDonogh kicker Harrison Beattie, who appeared in two games in 2021, and freshman walk-on Jack Howes, who appeared in Maryland’s bowl win over Virginia Tech. Ryland’s commitment gives the Terps’ 2022 roster exactly what the staff hoped for out of a portal specialist—an experienced, proven prospect.
“What I sort of got from everyone is I’m a veteran guy, four-year starter, have a happy experience under my belt and I’ve made some pretty big kicks in pretty big games. And then also my kickoff ability, just come out and smoke kicks back. Ultimately, I think my leg strength will be one of my biggest assets but also the professionalism that I try to carry myself with because at the end of the day, you’ve got to be a pro before you are a pro so this next year I’m looking to develop more than if I would’ve declared for the draft this year and just take advantage of this COVID year.”
Ryland began his career at Eastern Michigan as a walk-on, but ended it with 17 consecutive made field goals, the second-longest active streak in the country, and finished the 2021 season a perfect 47-for-47 on PAT attempts. Ryland also finished 19-of-22 on field goals in 2021 with a 55-yard long and holds the Eastern Michigan program record for PATs made (141) and attempted (145). Ryland is also Eastern Michigan’s all-time leading scorer with 309 points and is a two-time All-MAC selection. After averaging over 60 yards on kickoffs his first season, Ryland also averaged 59.2 yards in 2021 with 39 touchbacks.
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