Goodwin speeds toward own role

SPRINGDALE — When Kyle Goodwin says this year’s Alma team has big shoes to fill, it hits a little closer to home to him than it does the rest of the Airedales.

That’s because Goodwin is replacing his brother, Garthe, as Alma’s starting tailback.

So far, so good.

In Friday’s 1713 season-opening victory over

Van Buren, Kyle Goodwin gained

110 yards, scoring touchdowns on a 78-yard run and a 15-yard reception. It was a continuation of last season, when Goodwin showed flashes of brilliance as his brother’s backup, rushing 51 times for 284 yards and 6 touchdowns, including a 94-yard run in a first-round playoff victory over Hope.

“He knows how to bounce to the open spot,” said Ozark Coach Michael Johnson, who scouted last week’s game and whose team plays at Alma on Friday.

It’s what Goodwin, a 5-10, 160pound junior, does when he gets to the open spot, though, that distinguishes him from his brother, who graduated last spring. Goodwin has the breakaway speed to score from anywhere on the field.

“That’s not something we see every week, obviously,” Johnson said. “The thing is, when he breaks it, he can go the whole way.”

Goodwin’s speed has been a welcome sight to Alma Coach Frank Vines, who described Garthe Goodwin as “more of a defensive-minded player.”

“He was small, but he just liked to hit people,” Vines said. “Kyle has more overall speed ... and I think Kyle has a little better judgment than Garthe did.

“We try to get Kyle the ball in the open field if we can, although he’ll run it up [the middle], too. But we know it’s a long year and if he runs it in there too much, he’s going to take some shots. So we want to get him the ball in space as much as we can.”

Kyle Goodwin agreed but said he isn’t afraid to earn tough yards by running inside the tackles if that’s what the circumstance dictates.

“It just seems like I can see the field a little better,” he said. “I just kind of know where the holes are.”

Even though they don’t share completely similar playing styles, a lot of Kyle Goodwin’s football skills are due to his older brother, he said.

“He was always trying to make me better than he was,” Goodwin said. “He’d put the pads on me and let me hit him harder than he hit me.”

And how did the younger Goodwin end up with most of the speed in the family?

“Maybe running from [Garthe] every once in a while,” Goodwin said with a laugh.

Goodwin is more serious when he talks about Friday’s game against Ozark, a 22-15 winner over Clarksville at the Alltel/Hootens.com Kickoff Classic on Labor Day. Goodwin said it will be another test to see if the shoes left behind by last year’s team can be filled.

When it comes to filling his brother’s shoes, last week’s effort against Van Buren seems to have bolstered his confidence.

“I have a good line, they stepped up and helped me, and we were able to make some big plays,” Goodwin said. “It’s pretty exciting . ... I think we can get it done.”

Goodwin