By Will Vandervort.
You might think following a guy who made more than 220 tackles the last two years might carry a little bit of pressure with it, but don’t tell that to B.J. Goodson.
“I really love pressure,” the senior said.
Goodson has the job of being the guy that has to replace Stephone Anthony at middle linebacker on a Clemson defense that led the nation a year ago. Anthony has led the Tigers in tackles in each of the last two seasons and is in position, perhaps, to earn a first-round draft selection in next month’s NFL Draft.
“Like the coaches say, ‘If I don’t take the role who is going to take it?’ I kind of take that approach to everything and try to be a great leader for the rest of my teammates,” Goodson said.
Goodson came to Clemson at the same time Anthony and Tony Steward made their way here. Though he was not as heralded as the other two guys in his signing class, Goodson resume nonetheless was still impressive.
He was rated by ESPN as the 29th best outside linebacker in the country coming out of Lamar High School – the same school that produced former Clemson and Pittsburgh Steelers great Levon Kirkland.
Though he redshirted in 2011, Goodson said he learned a lot the first year playing alongside Anthony.
“We pretty much saw the same things, learned the same things. Gathering everything is really not a tough deal for me,” he said.
In his first two years on the field, Goodson played in just 20 games, recoding 11 tackles and one quarterback pressure. But last year he earned a starting spot at strongside linebacker where he started six games, while recording 34 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
This spring Goodson has been working primarily at middle linebacker where he spent the first two years playing behind Anthony.
“At the MIKE backer position you are pretty much like the general, so you are like the quarterback of the defense,” he said. “You have to make sure everyone is lined up and ready to go because if you don’t, then it is on you sort of like the quarterback position.
“Like I said, I have been practicing at that position for a long time now so there is really no pressure there.”
Taking away some of that pressure is the fact Ben Boulware is playing right beside him on the weakside. Boulware played the middle and weakside positions last year, starting one game at both.
“He does a good job of just being a player a lot of the time and making plays,” Goodson said. “We do a great job of working together and communicating on the field and off the field. He does a great job. He has a great work ethic. He will be fine. He will be real good.”
And so will Goodson, who says there is no pressure on him or any of the linebackers when it comes to living up to the standards those before them set.
“There is pressure there, but I really love pressure. Ben Boulware, I’m not worried about him. He will be fine and he will do well,” Goodson said. “Coach (Venables) will do a heck of a job of getting us ready. There is a lot of pressure there, but I really love pressure.
“To me, it’s about going right at it. There is really no pressure, to me.”