Primed for his opportunity, Cam Goode praises Michigan football ‘NFL system’
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football is one of the few programs in college football spearheaded by a former NFL head coach — and a successful one, at that. Which means that there are many elements in Ann Arbor that resemble an NFL system.
That’s how fifth-year defensive tackle Cam Goode, who transferred to Michigan prior to the 2022 season from UCF, sees it. It’s a system that asks a lot of its players, but gives a lot back for those who put in the work, he says.
“I will say that it’s more of an NFL system here,” Goode said. “A lot of things you have to pick up on your own, but it’s a great supporting cast — but nobody’s left behind. We’re all learning together, getting over pillars together. So definitely a family environment with an NFL spectrum.”
Michigan didn’t have a ton of attrition at his position, though it has lost a major player with Mazi Smith going to the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. Goode is grateful that he got to watch and learn from Smith for a whole season, because now that his name will likely be called upon more often, he knows what the expectation is.
“Mazi, he came in and gave us the game, gave us the opportunity to see how it looks,” Goode said. “That’s a Division I five-star recruit coming out of high school, and now it’s a first-round pick. So just to see his work ethic, what he’s done to be there, and what he’s achieved, he just helped us and paved the way for us.”
Goode appeared in nine games in 2022 for the Wolverines and had eight tackles. But in 2021 for UCF, he was much more prolific. In 13 games, he had 24 tackles, an interception, four tackles for loss, three sacks, three passes broken up, and four forced fumbles.
As far as having a nose for the football, Goode says it’s because he’s played all over the field over the course of his football career, dating back to his youth. That’s paid dividends in terms of having a pretty good idea of where the ball is going to be on any given play.
“So, my stature, I played a lot of positions in youth football,” Goode said. “I played fullback, wide receiver. Sometimes they had me at wildcat quarterback. So like, I just got a nose for the ball. I felt like — I don’t know. See ball, go get ball.”
Goode will likely be in rotation with Rayshaun Benny and Kenneth Grant behind starters Kris Jenkins and Mason Graham. He’ll get his first taste of action on Saturday when Michigan football hosts East Carolina for the 2023 season opener.
