Injuries put focus on Goings in Seattle
Scioto graduate gets start for Panthers against Seahawks
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Matt Winkeljohn
THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>
</IMG> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More a footballer than public persona, Nick Goings honored the clause in every NFL player’s contract stating that he be available to the media this week — for six or seven taut minutes, at least.
Then, a team official arrived at his locker, saving him by cutting off questions. It was the least the Carolina Panthers could do for the running back they’re asking to save them in the NFC championship game.
"This is definitely not Nick’s arena," said Panthers reserve offensive lineman Dave Kadela, also a high-school teammate of Goings. "He’s usually very quiet, even with his friends — always been like that."
But it’ll be noisy today in Seattle’s Qwest Field, where Carolina will need Nervous Nick to make some noise of its own.
Fate has frowned frequently on this football junkie, yet might be about to smile upon him big time. Carolina running backs Stephen Davis (knee) and DeShaun Foster (broken ankle suffered last Sunday) are out, so it’ll be up to Goings — undrafted out of Pittsburgh — to make Seattle pay for double-teaming receiver Steve Smith.
Might his be a Cinderella story?
"Sure," Goings gushed with a huge smile that failed to hide his discomfort. "Anything can happen. I’ve been working hard."
Why the fairy tale analogy?
The NFL’s other three playoff teams — Denver, Seattle and Pittsburgh — have the league’s second-, third- and fifth-ranked rushing offenses. Carolina ranked No. 19. Seattle has Shaun Alexander, the NFL’s MVP and leading rusher. The Panthers have a career backup’s backup.
And they love their chances.
"You’ve got to like a guy like Nick, who works so hard," Carolina guard Mike Wahle said. "You see it in the weight room and in practice. He knows his blitz pickups and check-downs cold. It’s not like a running back just gets the ball and runs. They have reads to make and he makes them."
Goings has spent his posthigh school career off the radar. Rushing for 5,785 yards and 82 touchdowns at Dublin and Dublin Scioto high schools wasn’t enough to make him a star at Ohio State. There, he rushed 12 times as a freshman and nine as a sophomore, trapped behind Pepe Pearson and Michael Wiley.
Then, with touted recruit Derek Combs coming in, he followed Buckeyes quarterbacks coach Walt Harris when Harris became coach at Pittsburgh and his high-school coach, Bryan Deal, became Pitt’s recruiting coordinator.
The Iron City steeled him more. At Pitt, Kevan Barlow was the featured back, and Goings rushed 185 times for 765 yards in two seasons.
Smiling — as ever — he claims his career has not been a disappointment, but rather a privilege.
"I’m comfortable," he said of his career choice, if not some of its prerequisites such as doing interviews. "This is exactly what I wanted to do my whole life. I’ve had a lot of teammates pat me on the back."
The Panthers signed him after the 2001 draft, and he almost immediately became a "core special teams player," to use his words, rushing for 197, 188 and 69 yards in his first three pro seasons.
When Davis, Foster and two other running backs were injured last season, the 5-foot-11, 225-pounder became the 1-7 Panthers’ starter. With him starting, they went 6-2. His five 100-yard games, 821 yards rushing, 217 carries, six touchdowns, 45 receptions and 394 receiving yards were career highs.
Coach John Fox isn’t worried.
"This game is about confidence," he said. "It’s not just the confidence the individual player has in himself but the guys around him. Our guys have the utmost confidence in him."
Goings rushed 37 times for 133 yards this season. He says he’s ready for this. There’s a reason why he’s often one of the last players to leave team headquarters. He’s preparing; it’s a trademark.
All around the locker room this week, more famous teammates faced bigger crowds, spending far more time talking without having interviews cut short. "I take pride in my work ethic," Goings said, wrapping up. "This is the biggest game I’ve ever played in."
