Goodson gone, pursues pigskin

The 2008 freshman recruiting class for the men's basketball team is officially a thing of the past.

Head Coach Mark Few announced Tuesday that former starting point guard Demetri Goodson would be leaving Gonzaga to pursue a football career. Goodson is the seventh Zag to jump ship in the last two years – he joins Grant Gibbs, Andy Poling, G.J. Vilarino, Bol Kong, Keegan Hyland, and Manny Arop.

"He wants to finish his NCAA eligibility playing football," Few said in a news release. "After having convinced us he would finish his degree then we were all in support of his decision. He has been a great teammate and I have the utmost respect for his toughness and he always played and practiced hard."

Goodson, who will always be remembered as the freshman who hit the game-winning runner to send the Bulldogs to the Sweet 16 in 2009, averaged 5.1 points per game and 1.5 assists per game during his three seasons with the Zags. "Meech" started 68 of Gonzaga's last 69 games.

Goodson was a highly touted football recruit coming out of Houston Klein Collins High School in Spring, Texas. Reports from 2008 say that Texas' Mack Brown thought highly of his talents in the defensive backfield. Goodson has been reported as being very interested in playing for Texas A&M, but there has been little indication from A&M's athletic department that Meech is being considered for a scholarship. Texas State has shown interest, according to the Slipper Still Fits blog. Goodson's brother, Mike, who was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2009, played for the Aggies.

"I have decided to pursue football next year," Goodson said to GoZags.com. "I would like to thank my coaches and staff for the opportunity to play here. I also want to thank the city of Spokane and all of the Zags fans who have supported me over the years. It's been an awesome experience."

Due to NCAA rules concerning changing sports, Goodson could have up to two years of eligibility left to play football.

Goodson's departure means that the 2011-2012 team will have few familiar faces – a problem that could be compounded if rumors of sophomore forward Kelly Olynyk transferring substantiate. The Zags will welcome five new players to the program, including point guard Kevin Pangos, who will be expected to fill some of the void left by Goodson upon his arrival with returning guard David Stockton.

The uber-hyped 2011 class will have to deal with high expectations as Rob Sacre will be the lone senior on next year's team.