Undersized Kiante Goudeau seeks a future after Minot State football

Minot Daily News

MINOT — Kiante Goudeau knows what he wants and isn’t going to back down. “My goal at Minot State is I want to get 10 picks this year and I want to be an All-American,” Goudeau said. “But, as far as the long run when I’m done here, I want to make it to the NFL. I think that’s everyone’s dream, but I’ve been putting in the groundwork for a long time. I can’t wait until it comes.” What the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Minot State cornerback lacks in size is masked by his unwavering confidence. “If I was a little taller, I feel like I’d be at Alabama or something like that,” Goudeau said with a straight face. “But, this is what I was blessed with, so I just got to work with it. There are guys in the league (NFL) who have done it before me. So, that gives me more confidence.” Goudeau is chasing after elusive history in his quest to play at the highest level. The last Minot State football player to be drafted into the NFL was Randy Hedberg in 1977. The eighth round, 196th overall pick, played seven games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before eventually returning to his alma mater and becoming the Beavers’ head football coach from 1982-89. Hedberg is currently the quarterbacks coach for North Dakota State and helped tutor the 2016 NFL Draft No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz. Despite the odds against Goudeau, making it out of North Dakota and writing his own NFL legacy like Wentz remains the ultimate goal. Those around Goudeau believe if the stars align, he has the talent to turn his dream into a reality (or perhaps an alternative reality by playing pro football outside of the NFL in Canada or somewhere else). “Kiante (Goudeau) is a pretty special player,” MSU head coach Mike Aldrich said. “He has all the measurables and all the numbers that, if you compare him to the kids at his position that got drafted last year, he is right in the same handful with those kids. The one measurable he doesn’t have is his height.” Small size, big impact Coming out of Edison High School in his hometown of Huntington Beach, California, Goudeau has always been overlooked and has continued to overperform in the face of his critics. Prior to coming to Minot State, Goudeau played two seasons of JUCO football for Long Beach City College and set a school record with eight interceptions during his sophomore season. His ball hawking abilities got him named to the Southern California Football Association National Division All-Central League First-Team. Regardless, Minot State was one of the few schools that actually took interest in Goudeau. Former MSU defensive back coach Joe Dale, who has since moved on to be an assistant football coach at Weber State, persuaded Goudeau to give Minot a look. “I didn’t really get a visit, so I had to do the whole virtual tour thing on YouTube,” he said. “I just thought everything was nice. And Coach Dale felt like a good coach to play under, so I decided to commit here… It was very different from California. There was not a lot of places to eat. I was kind of disappointed about that. But, when I got here the weather felt like home so it wasn’t too bad. But, when that first winter hit, it felt like no place I had ever been before. It was really cold.” Goudeau survived by hiding out in his dorm and layering up. He was determined to make things work and brushed off the unfamiliar weather to lock onto the task at hand. In his first Division II game against Concordia-St. Paul last season, Goudeau had the second-most tackles on the team with eight. He backed that up with nine tackles and an interception returned 42 yards for a touchdown against Augustana in Week 2, and another interception the following week. Then, Goudeau went quiet. He picked up a few tackles here and there, but he wasn’t making the standout plays. That all changed on Nov. 11, 2017, at St. Cloud State in the final game of the regular season, as Goudeau intercepted three passes and returned two of them back for a touchdown. He purposely stopped short of the end zone on his third interception to allow the Beavers’ offense to run out the clock and secure the season-ending victory. “I opened a lot of people’s eyes,” Goudeau said. “I’m still kind of regretting not returning that third pick, but you can’t live in regret. It is what it is. I definitely think I got more eyes on me now because I haven’t been tested much this year.” Aldrich added: “I think that got him a little more notoriety. When you have a three interception game, that’s a pretty loud statement. I think that put him on the map and people recognized where he is. I think that helped. But, obviously, he is not lacking in confidence and I don’t think he needed three interceptions to increase his confidence level. Let’s put it that way.” In four games this season, Goudeau has snagged three interceptions, picked up two fumble recoveries and forced a fumble. Minot State’s career interception leader with eight picks in 15 games is on pace to become the Beavers’ first defensive Division II All-American in program history. But, it’s always been difficult for Goudeau to just let his stats do the talking. “When you are a shorter guy, you got to be scrappier,” he said. “Pretty much every week you are going to be outsized. So, you got to play with more tenacity when you are shorter. More hunger. “Coach (Aldrich) knows that I’m good for at least one personal foul a game because when you are shorter you have to let them know you are there, sometimes… I’m trying to cut that down, but I don’t think I can be controlled once I’m in my mode. I think it’s just going to happen.” Calculated risk taker

Drawing unnecessary penalties isn’t the best way to get recognized, but it comes with Goudeau’s personality. The aggressive defensive back teeters on the line of tactically getting into his opponent’s head and becoming a nuisance for the officials. Goudeau takes what he is given and sees how far he can push the limits. Sometimes that involves being called out or getting exposed in coverage, but Aldrich has enough faith in his senior playmaker to make the right decisions. “He is not scared of anything,” Aldrich said. “With his ability, we give him a little more leeway because he plays off that pretty well. He tries to play possum a little bit with their offense to see if he can get them to throw a ball that’s not in the right spot and he jumps routes. His aggressiveness makes up for the lack of size. And he knows that can be a hindrance too. If he gets too aggressive, then a good quarterback is going to see that, try to suck him in on something and hit him over the top.” Luring quarterbacks into a false sense of security and certainty opens the door for Goudeau to make the big plays – something that has become increasingly harder to do with his growing reputation around the conference. Much to the dismay of Goudeau, who wants to be tested, many teams are now opting to throw the ball away from his vicinity. “Hopefully, I get some more passes thrown my way,” Goudeau said. “It has been getting kind of lonely on my island out here.” Maturity forming through fatherhood While Goudeau’s tenacity and confidence has been a constant, what has drastically changed is his outlook on the game and life in general. “Last season, I had my first child,” he said. “I have a daughter, so being away from her stings a lot. You are missing out on a lot of growth. But, everything is about her. This is why I’m doing this. “It definitely gives me more motivation. She is kind of my good luck charm. We FaceTime before every game. That’s kind of our daily routine. Every Saturday we wake up and FaceTime.” It’s a visual reminder that his quest to reach the next level isn’t just about himself anymore. “I try to FaceTime her every day to make it feel like I’m there,” Goudeau said. “There is nothing like being there with your kid. But, I love this game and it’s all about sacrifices.” In front of Goudeau is an opportunity to provide a better life for his family. He has adapted accordingly. “Kiante’s maturity has grown so much,” Aldrich said. “He is a senior and has a lot of young guys playing around him, so he has to have that responsibility. Secondly, he now has a baby girl. Once you become a father, a lot of things change as far as your focus and what’s important. “So, he has had to grow up and keep everything in focus on what he is trying to do and what his goals are. He still has goals to continue playing moving forward. Those goals aren’t selfish anymore, now those goals are for his family.” Goudeau also looks after his football family. He is one of four seniors left standing on MSU’s football roster. His teammates look up to him to lead. “I just try to push everyone around me to be better than me,” Goudeau said. “For example, even if my younger guy Mikael (Bradford) makes a great play, I’m always harping on him to be better. If you get a PBU (pass break up), then it should have been a pick. I never let him take the easy way out.” Goudeau can’t afford to be self-centered anymore and his families hold him accountable. His success stems from them. “I want him to understand that once he leaves, and whatever happens after he leaves college, that he is leaving a legacy,” Aldrich said. No matter what the future might hold, Goudeau has already left his mark on Minot State.