Vol. 82, No. 9 Serving Kilgore College since 1936
January 14, 2019
KC alumnus comes full circle
Former Ranger standout, assistant coach named 16th leader of KC football team ALEC REYES Sports Editor
O
ver the winter break, the Ranger football team welcomed the 16th head coach in program history. Willie Gooden was introduced as the next head coach in a press conference held on January 3. He replaces J.J. Eckert, who left KC to become the head coach at his alma mater Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Gooden previously served as an assistant under Eckert and was briefly named the interim head coach following his departure. Gooden described the promotion as his “dream job” and is honored to become the next head man at KC. “I only have three words to describe this awesome opportunity: My dream job,” Gooden said at a press conference. “I’ve been associated with the KC football program for 14 years, two years as a student-athlete and 12 years as a coach. With such a rich winning tradition, I’m extremely honored to be named the next head football coach at Kilgore College.” Gooden, a Hempstead native, was a walk-on player with the Ranger football team from 2000-01 where he garnered allconference recognition and played on the undefeated 2001 team. Prior to coaching at KC, Gooden was the defensive line coach at NSU for three seasons. During his tenure as both a player and assistant coach for the Rangers, Gooden played a role in multiple team accomplishments. “We’ve won three regular season championships, three Region XIV Conference championships and had a 2015 Hall of Fame Induction (2001 team),” Gooden said. Along with his head coaching duties, Gooden will remain a kinesiology instructor on campus. The 2018 campaign was a memorable one for KC. After the Rangers began the season with a record deadlocked at 2-2, they reeled
off eight straight wins which culminated with a SWJCFC Championship, a bowl victory in the TIPS-C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl and finished the season No. 4 in the national rankings. In that span, KC outscored the opposition 361-119. Gooden looks forward to building upon that success by continuing to follow the system that is already in place at KC. “We will follow the same motto that we have and go out and try to find better than what we have,” Gooden said. “We’re looking to find some more high character kids that we call ‘East Texas Blue Kids.’ They’re the kids that represent us and that blue-collar, hard-working tough kid mindset.” Although every assistant from last year’s staff will be retained, Gooden plans to add another coordinator to round out his coaching staff. Gooden and his team will follow the Rangers’ “1-0 mindset” in order to reach their goals for the upcoming season. “That’s what we’re going to prepare for all offseason and that’s what we’re going to prepare for up until that first game against Tyler Junior College,” he said. “That’s the only goal in that is to just be 1-0 and win the first one. We’ll look at the next one after that first one is done. That’s always been our mindset here and it will continue to be our mindset.” Gooden is excited about what awaits him and his own group of KC Rangers. “It’s something that I’ve always wanted, and something that I’ve always dreamed of, and now I have the opportunity to be in this position,” Gooden said.
Go to page 8 to meet more KC staff members, and find some who are holding new positions following the break.
Jamie Hwang / THE FLARE
Coach Willie Gooden instructs Jacob Frazier during a key moment in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl held in Waco in December. Gooden is in his 12th season as a coach for KC. As a student, he was a walk-on player who earned a starting position and was honored as AllConference in 2000-01. He was also a member of the undefeated 2001 Ranger team.
SEE PAGE 8 for KC’s campus map and coffee shops close to campuses