New TCNJ coach Goff trying to build a winner
When Casey Goff came to The College of New Jersey he was impressed with all the campus has to offer.
The new Lions football coach believes the equation of academics, atmosphere and dedicated athletes can lead to victories on the football field.
“I think this is an institution where you can win football games and that’s exciting to me,” Goff said. “The challenge of the NJAC is very appealing. This is an opportunity to show people you can be a high quality academic institution and you can also win football games.”
Since the sudden departure of 37-year coach Eric Hamilton during the summer of 2013, Goff becomes TCNJ’s third coach in five years and he replaces Rocky Hager, who was the interim coach in 2016.
“We want the kids to understand it’s not about the head coach, it’s about the team,” Goff said. “It really doesn’t matter who the coach is as long as the kids are playing for each other. That’s the important part.”
Goff arrives at TCNJ after coaching Defiance (Ohio) to a 5-5 mark last season. He understands that sometimes change is not always easy as this will be the seniors’ third coach in four years.
“It’s not ideal that you have to learn a new system and having a new head guy in there with a different way of doing things,” he said. “It’s still football. It’s still the game you grew up with and the game you love.”
The Lions are coming off a 2-8 season and have not had an over .500 season since 2011. They didn’t receive a lot of love from the other NJAC coaches in the preseason poll as they were picked 10th, or last in the conference.
“We have to change the culture and get the kids to understand they can compete in this conference,” Goff said. “If you can compete in this conference you can compete with anyone in the country.”
Two-time defending champion Wesley was the favorite in the poll followed by Frostburg State, Salisbury, Rowan, Kean, Christopher Newport, Montclair State, Southern Virginia, William Paterson and then TCNJ.
It seems the balance of power in the New Jersey Athletic Conference has shifted to the affiliate members since their arrival.
Goff, who previously was an assistant at Cortland State, is familiar with the conference and believes the Lions can attain success.
“We need to take advantage of our niche,” Goff said. “That is being a strong school academically. We need to pull that high academic kid from New Jersey. Kids have to know the opportunities that are at their fingertips it they stay home.”
Full practices are just beginning, but Goff has been impressed with what he has seen from the players.
“These are a group of kids that work hard,” Goff said. “They want to do something special and they don’t want to wait. I don’t see this as a process we want to win and I want to win as many football games as possible. These kids are ready and willing to put in the effort.”
The Lions open the season on Friday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. against FDU-Florham in Lions Stadium.
Then it’s a road trip to Frostburg (Md.) followed by three home tilts with Wesley, Salisbury and Montclair State.
The second half of the schedule has a road games at Rowan, Paterson and Christopher Newport and home games with Kean and Southern Virginia. Southern Virginia is the regular season finale.
“I’m fired up and I’m ready to go,” Goff said. “I’m excited to be in this conference and I’m excited to see these kids improve. I think we are going to be a team people will be surprised by.”