Dogs\' defense in \'Goode\' hands

Published on August 15, 2002 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release

By Wes McKinzie, af2.com

The Birmingham Steeldogs' defensive coordinator is one of the "Goode" guys.

CHRIS GOODE, a former nine-year NFL veteran defensive back with the Indianapolis Colts, has a winning personality to go along with his winning defense – a defense that ranked among arenafootball2's elite this season.

Goode, in his second year as Birmingham's defensive coordinator after one season as defensive backs coach, sparked a turnaround of epic proportions in 2002. Birmingham ranked last in af2 in total defense last season, but vaulted to second in the league this year, allowing a paltry 200 yards per game. In fact, the Steeldogs ranked in the top 10 in virtually every defensive category. They gave up less than 40 points a game on average, holding opponents under 30 three times.

After last week's 34-point clampdown of a Tulsa offense that led af2 with 57 points per contest, the Steeldogs (13-5) will host Peoria (13-5) this Saturday in the National Conference Championship Game, with the winner playing for the ArenaCup championship.

"Every game we've won doesn't mean anything unless we win this game and go on and win the championship," Goode said. "That's the only thing we care about right now. A lot of people have been counting us out, but we finally jelled together."

The Steeldogs jelled despite losing the glue of their secondary (TERRANCE HARRIS) and defensive line (JERRY TURNER) to midseason injuries. But sticky-fingered MICHAEL FEAGIN (team-high five interceptions, 63.5 tackles) has helped pick up the slack in the defensive backfield while the quiet numbers of linemen WILLIAM MAYES (3.0 sacks) and JAMES LEWIS (2.5 sacks) belie the volume of the duo's impact.

Kind of like their defensive coordinator, who is known as "The Quiet Storm" in the locker room. Goode doesn't say much, but his words carry the weight of an NFL veteran who worked for everything he has.

"Chris has graduated from the school of hard knocks and learned on the go just like I have," said Birmingham Head Coach BOBBY HUMPHREY, who has compiled a 32-19 record at the Steeldogs' helm. "He's worked very diligently with the guys. Sometimes I shake my head at the goals he wants his defense to accomplish each game. But he accomplishes those things. He sets the bar very, very high."

With an older brother (KERRY) and younger brother (PIERRE), as well as a first cousin/adopted brother (ANTONIO LANGHAM) who all played in the NFL, one might think Goode came by his football success naturally. But the work ethic Humphrey talks about opened doors for Goode in a career that was anything but a free pass.

He started as a running back at the University of North Alabama before transferring to the University of Alabama, where he had to play his way into a scholarship. Even though Goode started just one game for the Crimson Tide, the Colts selected him in the ninth round of the 1987 draft. After a year on special teams, Goode – the longtime college reserve – became a fulltime starter in just his second season.

"It was sheer determination," Goode said. "Once I got the opportunity, I decided the only way they would get me out of there was if I got injured. I kept healthy, learned the playbook. If I didn't make it, it wasn't because I wasn't trying."

Goode did make it, though, bookending his NFL career with a division title as a rookie in 1987 and an AFC Championship Game appearance in 1995.

Seven years later, Goode will take part in another championship game, this one as a coach. And though he experienced the celebrated tradition of Southeastern Conference football at Alabama and the pinnacle of professional football with the Colts, the rush of af2 still gets the adrenaline pumping on gamedays.

"I like the closeness of the fans. They talk, talk, talk – especially on the road," Goode said. "They'll get on me, then I'll go back and tell them, ‘Watch this' or ‘How'd you like that?' if we make a big play. We shake hands. I laugh with them. It's all fun and games."

Goode tells the story of a regular-season road game this year that the Steeldogs won handily, thanks to that good offense and Goode's defense. There he was, playfully going back and forth with a zealous front-row fan in the fourth quarter when ...

" ... we were laughing and joking. He wanted me to show him different hand signals (used to let the defense know what formations and coverages to run). Finally, he talked me into letting him call the plays. He did it for a series, asked me how he did. I joked, ‘You did OK, but you made some calls I wouldn't have made.' We laughed and he told me, ‘You don't know how much I enjoyed doing that. You don't know how much you made my day.'"

Demanding the best of his players. Giving his best to the fans. Yep ... no doubt, this coach is one of the "Goode" guys.

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