FAYETTEVILLE — There may be many people who were surprised that four-star defensive lineman Emmit Gooden (6-4, 310 pounds) committed to Arkansas over Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Tennessee and others, but Independence, Kan., Community College coach Jason Brown was not one of those.
Brown knows current Razorback defensive coordinator and former Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads well and is aware of Arkansas’ move to the 3-4 defense.
“I am very familiar with Coach Rhoads and he is a great coach and a great man,” Brown said. “I have no doubt that Arkansas is going to be a perfect fit for Emmit. He will have just a couple of years to play once he gets there and wanted to go someplace he can make an impact right away and help him to get to the next level.
“He can play all of the positions up front in the 3-4, be it the five or six technique (defensive end) or the nose guard - whether it be the zero technique or in the two gap.
“He has the size to force double teams and also the speed to beat his man in one-on-one situations. He’s gotten better since he has been here and is just going to keep getting better.”
Gooden, a Tennessee native, had 55 tackles, 4 sacks and 2 forced fumbles in seven games last season.
“He is a big, athletic guy that is highly skilled and has great feet for a man his size,” Brown said. “One of the best things about him is that he is a gym rat and is to satisfied with how good he is now.
“He has a great desire to be better each day and that is great to have in a player that is already very good. He’s still got a long way to go to be the best he can be."
Brown also is proud of the way Gooden has matured as a leader.
“He has become more of a leader and has assumed a captain’s role,” Brown said. “He’s become the kind of guy that I can just turn control of the team over to and feel good about it.”
Independence went 5-5 last season while winning its last four games - including the program’s first ever sweep of Jayhawk Conference foes Hutchinson, Butler and Coffeyville.
The Pirates will open their 2017 season on Aug. 26 with a home game against Iowa Western.
“I can tell you I am really glad I have him for one more year,” Brown said. “I feel really good about the season he is going to have for us.”