Pre-spring Practice Interview: Richard Goodman

Last week sophomore wide receiver Richard Goodman spoke to Warchant.com and other members of the media. Here his comments from that interview:

Q: How are mat drills going for you?

Richard Goodman: They have been pretty tough. We pretty much knew what the expect being that I went through them in my freshman year and everything like that. We are getting better each day and that is the most important thing. You have got to be tough if you want to be good in this game here then you have to expect that you are going to have some ups-and-downs but every day I am getting better and the team is getting better and that is all that matters.

Q: What is the mindset around the team like these days with all of the changes that occurred in the past couple months?

Richard Goodman: There is a lot of excitement with the backgrounds of all the coaches coming in and the success they have had in the past and everything. So there is a lot of excitement.

Q: In regards to the wide receivers position, how is Coach Dawsey different from the coaches you have played under in the past at Florida State?

Richard Goodman: He is more laid back. He is more of a players coach being that he played the game and everything like that. So as far as certain situations he can understand more where we are coming from as far as our downfalls and when we are having success and how to control everything.

Q: In the first meeting with him, what was the first thing that stood out to you about his approach?

Richard Goodman: Pretty much the thing (that stood out) was that he was going to be a players coach. I mean he said he has been here and done that, the things that we are doing and trying to do, he has already accomplished. He has played on the next level. He has played college football and specifically he has played here so he knows how the mood is, what it takes to get the job done, and he is going to give us our best shot. We will have an opportunity to play at the next level and we want to help this team win the National Championship. He is going to give us the opportunity but it is all up to us whether we want to do it or not.

Q: What was his challenge to you as a player, for example he has talked about how when he played drops were not tolerated, has he made a challenge such as that to you?

Richard Goodman: He has said that at times but the main thing is that he wants to get that off our back as far as us being physical and toughness. All the articles written about us talk about us being bad blockers and not physical and everything so he wants to get that thrown out the window.

Q: Is the idea of being more physical, is that something that you see as being approached during the off-season and in mat drills?

Richard Goodman: Yeah, we are facing tests as far as benching and everything like that. Basically I don't think that we were so physical last year. I think with all the problems and losing games in the fourth quarter and such that there was so much adversity going on so one thing led to another.

Q: Coach Dawsey has said that he wants to have playmakers and you have the potential to be one of those guys, can you talk about what you have to do to fit that role?

Richard Goodman: Pretty much our whole receiving corps has talent enough as far as being a playmaker. Everybody is at Florida State for a reason as far as our receiving corps goes. It is just a point to go out there and do it. All the articles over the summer and during two-a-days about this guy here is going to do this and such, it is just time to put away all of that on the side and just actually show what the news reporters and everyone is talking about out there on the practice fields.

Q: How much do you know about the kind of offense that Coach Fisher intends to run or has ran in the past?

Richard Goodman: I pretty much know that he does a variety of things such as screens and running plays. He is pretty much wide open and everybody is going to touch the ball. It is just a matter of what you do when your opportunity comes.

Q: Have you watched film yet?

Richard Goodman: Yeah, we have watched film. A couple of the plays and a couple of the things we are going to be doing including the terminology and everything like that.

Q: There will likely be a focus on the running game in the spring but in the LSU offense under Jimbo's guidance there were opportunities for big strikes in the passing game so do you still feel the expectations to be prepared to pull off those type of plays?

Richard Goodman: Yeah, you know at LSU the things he accomplished such as the National Championship and the ballgames that he won and the numbers he has put up and everything like that, you can say there is pressure but it is all up to us. If everybody plays like we know we can play and of course coach Jimbo (Fisher) and coach (Lawrence) Dawsey are going to do their job. I pretty much think that as far as the expectations, we can meet all the requirements and win the ballgames and do everything that is expected but it is just a point of going out there and doing it like I said and not living off the hype.

Q: Individually speaking, what is the biggest thing you hope to accomplish during the spring?

Richard Goodman: I just want to calm down. With the mat drills and everything like that you have no choice but to succeed out there on the practice fields. I just want to get away from all the hype about the success I could have in the spring and the mat drills and just go out there and just pretty much get the job done. The questions have been asked about Goodman this and Goodman that, well once I get out on the field everything has been wondering where is all this talent and what were all of these articles talking about, pretty much I just want to shut it out mentally and get focused and show everybody what is going on our there on the practice fields and what I am showcasing.

Q: With the clean slate that comes with the coaching changes, how competitive will the wide receiver position be during the spring and leading up to next season?

Richard Goodman: FSU receiving corps, if we want to be as good as we want to be there has to be competition. At the end of the day, yeah I want to start, Greg (Carr) wants to start, De'Cody (Fagg) wants to start, Joslin (Shaw) and the rest of the receiving corps wants that starting position but at the same time we don't let our egos get us, we just try to get each other better each and every day as far as competing and getting everybody better. The whole thing, yeah everybody knows in the back of their mind that it is a clean slate like Coach Dawsey said but it is not about that right now, we are trying to do everything we can to help the team and that is what counts right now.

Transcribed by Chris Nee.