Cal Football Countdown: 19 Days, A Cam Goode Spotlight
Today’s column is once again brought to you by me, partly because it’s Trace’s birthday and he deserves to have zero content duties today, but also because as he put it: “it’d be weird for me to do the column on Cam Goode.”
True enough.
So, in yet another one of our player spotlight series, joining the likes of Mac Castles, Evan Weaver, and Chris Brown, we’ll discuss another key to the season here in #19. It might be a good sign that we are also entering the year of his number.
When Cam Goode was originally recruited to Cal, he was a lightly regarded prospect by our analysts, who pegged him in the two-star range, with eight reported offers (five of which were in the Power Five). Part of it was the size – Goode measured a lanky 195 pounds on his 6’3 frame, which made any analysis of him based on projection. Some players that size become safeties. Some players that size never find a home.
But if you took a closer look, there were some really special tools to work with:
“There's a lot more clips of him making quick decisions and reacting in the open field, especially going side to side laterally…showing the kind of versatility and speed that's more important than ever in this run-pass option, spread-heavy, space-driven era of offense. Check out how he changes direction so easily at 1:27...Really great instincts…
In some ways, Goode reminds of Aisea Tongilava, too, who was another undersized guy who ran well in the open field…quicker to react on tape than Tongilava, though, and seeing Goode break on the ball particularly at 1:32, 1:43, 3:11 makes me project him first as a future linebacker that doesn't need to come off the field when the defense is in nickel. Football is going in the direction that needs athletic, rangy players in space like Goode, who can keep pace with the ever increasing speed offenses want, especially in the slot. If these are the plays he can maintain at 220, 225 pounds, seriously, watch out. It's that weight that's going to be the biggest factor right now.”
In the years that I’ve been doing this, I’ve missed a lot more than I’ve gotten correct – everyone does, really; scouting is kind of like trying to beat the house in Vegas -- but in this case, I’m extremely proud to say I had it down to a T with Goode. That he’s been hampered by injuries for most of his career is unpredictable, yet missing all that time and still being universally regarded as the most talented player on the defense – and having made a clear and visible impact in the few games he hasplayed – is a difficult feat indeed.
If there are some silver linings to be found in the time Goode’s missed so far, it’s definitely been in accelerating the discovery of Tevin Paul, who paired with Alex Funches last year. Still, neither of those guys – and not many players in the last decade, really – offer the kind of speed off the edge and general fluidity that Goode does now. It remains deeply intriguing how that might supercharge an already dominant defense, just because he can be deployed out of so many places and in so many ways.
Just as importantly, the team’s hunted for players in this mold actively over the last few classes. Orin Patu is right in this same vein, as is Muelu Iosefa. The odds of finding a future Cam Goode aren’t assured, but they’re certainly trying, just like how Devante Downs gave way to Evan Weaver and Colt Doughty.
Unfortunately, my crystal ball can’t tell you if he’ll make it through all 12 to 15 games this season. But I like the odds a lot more now that he’s up to 235, a weight that should allow him to handle wear and tear much better than before. And if the Bears do get that number for Goode, well…it should be a season befitting his name.