News of record-setting former Rock football standout Cody Endres signing a contract to play for the Colorado Ice of the Indoor Football League (
see related story) prompted us to check in with his prime partner in passing proficiency, All-America wide receiver Devin Goda.
We’re happy to say Devin’s doing well. He told us he had a tryout earlier this week with the Green Bay Packers and expressed optimism that something good will come of the opportunity.
Goda, , who caught 75 passes for 1,028 yards and 11 TDs for The Rock in 2011, said he was one of two receivers the Packers brought in for workouts and “everything went well. I think they liked what they saw. They had me stay a little while longer than the other guy, so that has to mean something, I think.”
The Packers promised to get back in touch with a decision by the end of this week or early next week, Goda said, once they had a chance to evaluate where they stood with their current receivers and what their best options were.
Goda seemed to be taking it all in stride, which may be the result of having “been there, done that” on two other occasions. He spent the summer in the Baltimore Ravens’ training camp and stayed in the running for a roster spot right up to the final cut. Shortly thereafter, he had a week-long workout with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
If nothing else, Goda said, the experiences of working out with three NFL teams will benefit him when NFL teams compile their 2013 training-camp rosters.
“I’ve learned a lot,” Goda said. “Everything at the pro level is so much different than it was at Slippery Rock. I really struggled at times with the Ravens and was a little overwhelmed by it all.”
“I think having gone through an entire training camp and now getting two tryouts with other teams I probably have a better shot of making a team next year than I did last summer,” Goda said. “I just need to be ready whenever my agent’s able to get me a chance to show what I can do.”
In the meantime, Goda’s professional modeling career is “really going good,” he said. “It’s nice to know if pro football doesn’t work I can always go to Los Angeles and New York and have a chance to make a good living as a model.”
Rock football faithful are well aware that Goda was one of two ex-Rockers who signed free-agent NFL contracts following the 2011 season. Defensive back Andre Freeman made it to the final cut with the Pittsburgh Steelers. We will try to catch up with Andre for a future blog.
We’re also going to try to touch base with Brandon Fusco, who is now the starting right guard for the 4-1 Minnesota Vikings.
• Shifting gears a little, it was tough to read about the sudden and violent death last week of Washington & Jefferson running back Tim McNerney, who played his high school ball down the road from SRU at Knoch High School in Saxonburg.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tim’s family and friends, his teammates at Knoch and W&J and everyone whose life was touched by his fine young man.
I never had the privilege of meeting Tim, but I live and work in the same Butler County and collegiate sports communities he did, so I too hurt from his loss.
May God comfort all who deserve it and punish those who inflicted the pain.
I will close with a couple of more upbeat notes:
• Shout-outs to the newest inductees into the SRU Athletic Hall of Fame and Men’s Soccer Ring of Honor. We are proud of your accomplishments inside and out of the athletic world.
• And, as a cancer survivor, THANK YOU to all The Rock teams who have and will dedicate their efforts on our behalf. We urge everyone to continue to support these very worthwhile causes.
Until next time …
Don’t ever lose that
ROCK PRIDE!
And
GO ROCK!!
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
