Goode had major impact on CHS football

Dunny Goode, credited by many with beginning a high school football dynasty in Clovis, died early Tuesday morning at Plains Regional Medical Center.

Goode, 74, suffered from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease over the last 2 1/2 years and was admitted to the hospital last week, friends said.

Taking over the Clovis High football program in 1973, Goode led the Wildcats to two state championships in five years, including an undefeated season in his first year.

“Clovis always had good football teams. But I think Dunny was the one that got them over the edge,” said current Clovis coach Eric Roanhaus, who took over for Goode in 1978 when his mentor left for Eastern New Mexico University. Roanhaus has won 10 state titles at Clovis.

“He's the one that created the monster — and I’ve been trying to feed it ever since,” Roanhaus said.

Goode, raised in Midland, Texas, went 21-29-1 in five years at ENMU. He later coached at Roswell Goddard, Farmington High and El Paso Austin.

A two-way college star at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, Goode was the Washington Redskins’ top draft choice in 1951. Only hours after being informed of that news, however, Goode found out he had been drafted by the U.S. Army.

Goode managed to talk his way into the Air Force, which enabled him to train with the Redskins.

“They said they would move him close to Washington D.C., so he could still work out with the team,” said Bear Goode, Dunny’s son. “About a week before the first game, they sent him out to Korea anyway.”

After military service, Goode took a job as a graduate assistant at Hardin-Simmons. His first high school coaching position was at Lefors in the Texas Panhandle.

In 1973, Goode was coaching at Marshall Junior High in Clovis when he was asked to apply for the high school head coaching job, Bear Goode said.

Roanhaus said he always referred to Goode as the only person who had ever hired him.

After playing at West Texas State University, Roanhaus was hired as an assistant at Canyon (Texas) High by Goode.

When Goode got the Wildcats’ top job, he hired Roanhaus again.

“When Dad left Canyon, he told them they’d be making a very big mistake if they didn’t hire Roanhaus,” Bear Goode said.

Roanhaus said Goode had a great impact on football across New Mexico and certainly in Clovis.

“He leaves behind a lot of friends and admirers and he was just like a father to me all those years,” Roanhaus said.

Goode’s wife, Betty, died in 2000.