Notre Dame football: Goodman determined to leave mark

SOUTH BEND - The reflective thoughts arrive when John Goodman is walking across campus, savoring the beauty of one last summer and fall in South Bend, one that he didn't always know would be there for him.

At times, he will observe teammates, almost all of them younger than him, and think to himself that this could be a special group coming together.

And it's at those times that Goodman truly appreciates where he is and what he has, and that's a 2012 season in which to play college football.

"I would have missed out on something great," Goodman says, "if I wouldn't have gotten that fifth year."

When Goodman arrived at Notre Dame in 2008 and subsequently redshirted that season, a fifth year in 2012 seemed like a no-brainer. The following year, when he caught his first career touchdown pass, a 64-yarder from fellow redshirt freshman Dayne Crist on which he showed good route-running, sure hands and plus speed, it seemed cemented that Goodman would be an integral part of the Irish passing game for a full four years.

But his production never really matched that initial potential. That touchdown reception remains the only one of his career; in fact he has thrown as many touchdowns as he has caught.

He's had his fair share of snaps at receiver, but never really has become a vital part of the passing game. Last year the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Goodman was ND's primary punt returner, and in turn, fair or not, became the de facto face of what was a woeful unit.

So as the season dragged on, Goodman wondered if he'd be back in South Bend in 2012 catching passes or somewhere else trying to catch on in the real world.

"It was nerve-racking because I didn't know if I was going to get it or not," Goodman said.

"Towards the whole end of the second half of the season, it was, 'What am I going to do with my life after college if I don't get this fifth year,' because either I get a full year of college or I'm straight into the real world, and that would have been a hell of a change from college football."

Change was going on all around him. Classmates were graduating, some moving on to the "real world" that Goodman wasn't quite ready for, some moving on to the NFL. They were also moving to other schools, namely Crist, the displaced starter who is now the No. 1 QB at Kansas, as well as linebacker Anthony McDonald and sixth-year tight end Mike Ragone.

Elsewhere may have been a fit for those three, but playing a fifth year anywhere else wasn't in Goodman's thought process.

"No, probably not," Goodman said. "I'm all Notre Dame. I grew up Notre Dame. I committed here for a reason. I wouldn't want to switch anywhere else and I want to graduate from here and stay here as long as possible, and if I hadn't gotten it, then I probably would have just ended football."

Instead, the end of his career will begin with Goodman likely starting at the spot vacated when Michael Floyd took his talent, and a whole lot of receiving records, to the NFL. Floyd's departure left a big void at the position, but Goodman has a resolve that he can become a main cog in the offense.

"I need to go out and just take the position and make sure it's mine and not even let there be any competition for it, kind of like Mike last year and the years before, how he went out and kept the position and dominated on the field," Goodman said. "That's what's in my head right now ? just dominating on the field in practice and for the (rest of fall camp) and then going and (playing) Navy and doing the same thing, if not beating them even worse than I could these DBs.

"You've got to have that confidence and that's something I believe I can do."

Through three years, the numbers that some expected of Goodman ? as a high school senior he was selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl ? haven't been there. The touchdown reception his sophomore season was one of only six passes he caught that year. That total jumped to 15 in 2010 but dipped to seven last season. In the meantime, the teams he's been a member of have compiled 7-6, 6-6, 8-5 and 8-5 records. Expectations for 2012 are higher, team-wise and individually, and a big reason why Goodman so badly wanted the fifth year.

"We haven't necessarily accomplished anything yet, especially me as an individual. I just wanted to get better. I totally believe I can have a good season this year," said Goodman, who seems more resolved, more focused and, as a result, more grown up this fall.

"I just didn't want to go out on the streets basically when I knew that I had the ability to do something special. I definitely want to leave my mark and I just felt like I had that chance and the ability to do that. Now I do, and it's really special to me and it's something I'm not going to take for granted."

Staff writer Bob Wieneke:

Source: http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/sbt-notre-dame-football-goodman-determined-to-leave-mark-20120805,0,5675596.story?track=rss

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