Football Press Conference Quotes
(Nov. 20, 2000) — John Goodner, veteran defensive coordinator at Texas Tech and Baylor, has been selected as the new defensive coordinator atthe University of Kentucky, head coach Hal Mumme announced on November 20.
“When making this choice, I was looking for three qualities,” Mumme said. “First, a person of high character who reflects thevalues of Kentucky football. Second, I wanted someone successful as a coordinator at a level similar to the SEC. Third, I waslooking for a coach whose total package is simple to teach, an eight-man front with a pressure style.
“Of all the people I looked at, John Goodner is far and away the best choice for the University of Kentucky.”
Goodner coached inside linebackers at Texas Tech from 1993-99 under Coach Spike Dykes and was defensive coordinatorfor his final five seasons. In 1998, Goodner’s unit ranked eighth in the nation in total defense, yielding only 285 yards per game. In1995, his first season as Tech’s coordinator, the Red Raiders ranked third in the nation in pass efficiency defense, 19th in turnovermargin, and 24th nationally in scoring defense.
With Goodner as coordinator, Texas Tech had three first-team All-Americans, including linebacker Zach Thomas, defensiveback Marcus Coleman, and defensive end Montae Reagor. Coleman and Thomas were first-team All-America in 1995, the firsttime in school history that two Red Raiders earned that honor in the same season. Thomas, Coleman, and Reagor all play in theNational Football League.
Texas Tech never had a losing season with Goodner on board and the Red Raiders played in five bowl games during his sevenseasons.
Prior to his success at Texas Tech, Goodner coached for 11 seasons (1982-92) at Baylor under Coach Grant Teaff. Guidingthe inside linebackers also was Goodner’s forte at Baylor, where he developed All-American James Francis and All-SouthwestConference performers Kevin Hancock, Ray Berry, Gary Joe Kinne, Curtis Hafford, and Le’Shai Maston.
Goodner was appointed defensive coordinator in his final season at Baylor, and the Bears posted a 7-5 record and defeatedArizona in the Sun Bowl. Baylor notched eight winning seasons during Goodner’s term of service and played in five bowl games. Goodner went to Texas Tech following Teaff’s retirement at the end of the ’92 season.
A native of Snyder, Okla., Goodner was an all-state quarterback and linebacker at Frederick (Okla.) High School. He was anall-conference linebacker at Southwestern Oklahoma State. He spent 15 years as a high school coach, including head coachingstops at Noble (Okla.) HS, Denison (Tex.) HS, and Waxahachie (Tex.) HS, before entering the collegiate ranks at Baylor. In hislast six seasons as a high school coach, Goodner led Waxahachie to two district titles and a record of 35-26-1.
Goodner and his wife, Karen, have one daughter, Katherine, and two grandchildren.
GOODNER COACHING CAREER
1967 Roswell (N. M.) High School, assistant coach 1968 Athens (Tex.) High School, assistant coach 1969 Noble (Okla.) High School, head coach 1970-75 Denison (Tex.) High School, head coach 1973-751976-81 Waxahachie (Tex.) High School, head coach1982-92 Baylor University, assistant coach (def. coord. 1992), five bowl games1993-99 Texas Tech University, assistant coach (def. coord. 1995-99), five bowl games
