Ryan Goodman was named the linebackers coach at Coastal Carolina in January 2014 and enters his fifth season in that capacity in 2018.
No stranger to CCU, Goodman spent the 2012 and 2013 championship seasons on the Chanticleer staff as an intern. He assisted the offensive coaches in breaking down opponent film, as well as performing quality control for an offense that became one of the most prolific units in the NCAA FCS over those two seasons.
In his first season as the linebackers coach in 2014, linebackers Quinn Backus and Brett Johnson each excelled both on and off the field. Backus was the FCS ADA top collegiate linebacker, finished fourth in the Buck Buchanan Award voting, was tabbed the Big South Defensive Player of the Year for a third-straight season and led the Big South in tackles for a third-consecutive season. Johnson was named second-team all-Big South while being named Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District and an FCS ADA academic all-star. Backus and Johnson also were inducted into the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society.
In 2015, Goodman helped converted safety Alex Scearce, who led the team in tackles, earn second-team all-Big South honors. The following year in 2016, Scearce had a breakout season as he set CCU single-season records for sacks (8.0), yards from tackles for loss (78) and interception returns for touchdowns (2) while ranking second in TFL (13.5), third in fumbles forced (3) and fourth in interceptions (5). For the year, Coastal scored seven defensive TDs -- second-best total in all Division I behind Alabama's 10 -- and Scearce was responsible for five (returned two picks for TDs, recovered a fumble for TD and forced two fumbles that were recovered for TDs). For his effort, Scearce was named a first-team all-American and finished sixth in the Buck Buchanan Award voting as the top defensive player in all of FCS. Scearce and fellow linebacker Shane Johnson ranked 1-2 on the team in tackles and both were named to the CCU Transition Committee all-conference team.
Coastal’s first season in the NCAA FBS and Sun Belt Conference in 2017 saw the production from Goodman’s players stay at a high level. Johnson ranked second in the league in tackles overall while he led the league in stops in Sun Belt Conference games only. Johnson was tabbed second-team all-Sun Belt, while redshirt freshman Silas Kelly was selected honorable mention all-Sun Belt. Goodman's special teams unit blocked two kicks with one getting returned for a defensive two-point conversion.
Goodman came to Coastal Carolina after two seasons (2010-11) as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater North Carolina State. He served under former Virginia defensive coordinator and current Cincinnati defensive backs coach Jon Tenuta, the former Wolfpack linebackers coach. Goodman worked with first-team all-ACC linebackers Nate Irving, who set an NCAA record with eight tackles for loss in a game and played for the Denver Broncos, and Terrell Manning, who played for the San Diego Chargers.
Prior to joining the NC State staff, Goodman was a two-sport student-athlete with the Wolfpack as a member of the football (2005-08) and wrestling (2006-08) teams. He played in 32 games over his football career, seeing action at safety for two seasons before closing his career at linebacker. As a wrestler, he was a three-time all-ACC selection (2006, `07 and `08), a two-time ACC champion (2006 and `07) at 197 pounds, and the 2006 and 2007 ACC Tournament Outstanding Wrestler.
The native of Egg Harbor City, N.J., began his collegiate career at Nebraska as a walk-on quarterback and a scholarship wrestler. However, Goodman worked his way up to second string quarterback as a true freshman and won a football scholarship by completing his lone pass attempt in the 2004 season-opening win over Western Illinois.
On the mat, he was 7-0 in his freshman season (2004-05) as a wrestler with the Huskers at the 197-pound weight class.
A product of Absegami High School, where he was coached by former CCU linebackers coach Doug Colman, Goodman passed for 3,108 yards and rushed for 1,300 in his four-year football career. As a wrestler, he set the New Jersey state high school record with 145 career wins, was a two-time state champion and ended his career with a 72-match win streak.
Goodman received his bachelor's degree in political science from NC State in 2009. He is married to the former Meredith Pierson.
