Penn State padded its special teams unit of the future as Lexington, Ga., native Taylor Goettie announced his intentions to transfer from Norfolk State to State College on Monday afternoon.
‘Thank you to the Penn State coaches for giving me this incredible opportunity to continue my dreams,’ Goettie said on Twitter. ‘Can’t wait to see what’s in strong for my future [in] Happy Valley.’
Goettie averaged 38.8 yards per punt, including 15 inside the 20-yard line during his true freshman season in 2017. He was named second-team All-MEAC for a solid sophomore campaign averaging just over 42-yards per punt.
Heading to Penn State he will have three years of eligibility remaining but will sit out 2019 due to NCAA transfer rules. The wait will be no real loss for the Nittany Lions as senior Blake Gillikin is set to return for his senior season. According to Greg Pickel of PennLive, Goettie will walk-on with an opportunity to earn a scholarship in the future.
It has been a busy offseason in the special teams room with the addition of coach Joe Lorig as well as transfer kicker Jordan Stout, previously from Virginia Tech.
Monday’s news may not impact the field for another year, but with no specialist commitments in the 2020 class, it fills a need in a post-Gillikin world.
Redshirt freshman Cade Pollard and redshirt sophomore Carson Landis are the only other punters listed on Penn State’s current 2019 roster.
