North Carolina State University Athletics
Goodson Cleared to Play
9/11/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Tony Haynes
Some help may be on the way for NC State's beleaguered defense. Junior defensive tackle Nate Goodson, who missed the Wolfpack's first two games while serving a suspension for breaking team rules, has worked his way back into the good graces of coach Chuck Amato.
"Nate will be back with us this week and we're glad to have him back," Amato said during his weekly press conference on Sept. 11.
Goodson will give NC State some much needed depth and experience at the defensive tackle position. The 6'2, 262 pound native of Roxboro started all 12 of the Pack's games in 1999 and was the top tackler among defensive linemen with 62 stops, including nine tackles for loss.
The interior of the NC State defense could use another physical presence; in its first two games against Arkansas State and Indiana, the Wolfpack has yielded an average of 207.5 yards rushing.
But while Goodson is in this week, veteran linebacker Clayton White could be out. The 6'0, 225 pound senior injured his heel in the fourth quarter of the Pack's come-from-behind 41-38 win over the Hoosiers on September 9. White is being listed as questionable for this week's contest at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Right offensive tackle Scott Kooistra, who was listed as a starter entering preseason drills, is slowly working his way back from a sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee.
"Scott will need a couple of more weeks," Amato said. "We thought we might have him back for the Georgia Tech game, but unless he has a miraculous recovery this week that might be far fetched. It might be a blessing in disguise because that would give him two more weeks after that."
Following the Tech game on Thursday night Sept. 21, the Wolfpack will have two consecutive weekends off. Kooistra was injured during a goal line drill in mid-August.
