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Sage Ryan is ready to 'join forces' with former teammates, opponents at Ole Miss

11by:Jake Thompson•04/03/25•

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Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss. Sage Ryan, LSU
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss. Sage Ryan, LSU - © Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

When Sage Ryan stepped on the practice field for the first time this Spring it was a unique situation for one of the newest members of the Ole Miss secondary.

The former LSU safety was look at his new team that was comprised of former teammates and current teammates who were former opponents, just last year.

Welcome to the transfer portal era and Ryan is the latest to experience this bizarro world feeling.

Backtracking a bit, why did Ryan choose Oxford as his new home after spending the last four seasons in Baton Rouge?

“What brought me to Ole Miss is the family-oriented program,” Ryan said after Thursday’s practice. “I knew that I could come here and be the best me and Pete Golding, himself, sold me. I know it’s a NFL defense that he runs, so, that would prepare me for the next level.”

Then there was the “weird” factor Ryan had to get past once he arrived on campus in January. From 2021 to 2024 he was lining up against the Ole Miss offense with never a thought in his mind that come 2025 he would be wearing the Rebels uniform and now on their roster.

Something that all transfer players, especially those who move in-conference, have to get over. While it is not a rare feeling in this era of college sports it does not make it any less strange.

“It is kind of weird,” Ryan said. “I was talking to one of my buddies the other day. Just being at (the) Ole Miss program and going against Cayden Lee. Now I’m going against him but now I’m on the same team is kind of like, ‘Damn, I really made that transition.’ It’s been a smooth journey for me.”

Ryan is now tasked with becoming a key player in the Ole Miss secondary that in rebuilding mode.

Last season with LSU Ryan finished as the team’s seventh-best tackler with 42, two of them for a loss, and a sack. He played in 12 games, not playing in the Texas Bowl against Baylor.

He is one of a handful of new faces that will be sprinkled around the back end of the Rebels defense. Lining up in front of him will be defensive end, and fellow LSU transfer, Da’Shawn Womack.

Womack is one of two former Tiger teammates of Ryan’s, joining running back Logan Diggs who is also now in Oxford. Diggs sent Ryan a “Rebel emoji,” according to the safety when he entered the portal.

Then there is Lee and Alabama transfer wide receiver Caleb Odom, another player that Ryan lined up against in previous years.

“it is kind of strange to see,” Ryan said. “I was playing versus those guys on other teams and now we’re on the same team. We’re just going to join forces and destroy everybody else in the SEC. That’s basically what it is.”

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