C.J. Goss was promoted to Head Football Coach in the spring of 2013 after serving as an assistant with the Monarchs since 2005. Goss came to Methodist following a five-year stint as a defensive line coach at Brockport State.
In his first season at the helm of the Monarchs, Goss guided MU to an 8-2 overall record en route to the program’s second-ever conference championship. The Monarchs won each of their final six games and finished the season tied with Maryville atop the league with a 6-1 conference record.
The 2013 season saw Methodist finish in the Top 20 in NCAA Division III in scoring (20th), passing offense (7th) and total offense (2nd). Quarterback Max Reber led all of Div. III in total offense en route to USA South Offensive Player of the Year and Second Team All-South Region accolades. Reber also won the prestigious Don Scalf award, which is awarded to the top male athlete in the USA South Conference. In all, 10 different players earned all-conference recognition from the USA South, including seven First Team All-USA South selections, the program’s most since garnering 10 in 2000, the first year of football for the conference.
In his second season, Goss led the Monarchs to another successful season as MU finished with a record of 6-4 (5-3 USA South). The 2014 season also saw Methodist finish ranked first in the conference in points per game, yards per game and first downs per game. The Monarchs also had 11 players selected to the all-conference team, including Max Reber, BJ Minter, Cody Ausherman, Brandon Sparrow, James Atkinson and DJ Payne who all made earned return trips to the all-conference team. Bryan Bing, who was also a repeat selection to the all-conference team, was named Second Team All-South Region as a linebacker for the 2014 season. Reber, for the second straight year, won the coveted Mason Sykes award, which is awarded to the top male athlete at Methodist University
Goss began his career at Methodist as the Monarchs’ wide receivers coach. In 2006, Goss coached All-American George Sands, and in 2005 Goss coached three all-conference wide receivers that helped to break numerous individual and team passing records. In 2008 he transitioned to the defensive side of the ball, most recently serving as MU’s defensive coordinator. In 2012, the Monarchs had seven defensive players earn all-conference honors, including four defensive lineman. Led by D3football.com All-South Region defensive end Brad Wade, Methodist finished fourth in NCAA Division III in tackles for loss (9.8/game) and seventh in sacks (3.4/game) in 2012.
A native of Syracuse, N.Y., Goss was a part of a Brockport State program that advanced to the NCAA Division III Playoffs for four straight seasons from 2000 to 2003. He was a part of a defensive staff that molded Brockport State into one of the top defenses in the nation, leading the nation in scoring defense twice while being ranked in the top five in several defensive categories.
While at Brockport, Goss coached three All-Americans, including Mike Condello, who was honored as a First Team All-American by five separate organizations in 2002. In addition to his football duties, Goss was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the track and field program at Brockport State.
Not only did he make his mark as a coach at Brockport State, Goss did so as a player as well. He lettered four seasons for the Golden Eagles and started two seasons at defensive tackle. As a senior, Goss recorded three quarterback sacks and finished with career six sacks. Goss received his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from Brockport State in 2001.
Coach Goss On Being Head coach:
“Being the Head Football Coach at Methodist University is an incredible responsibility that I cannot do alone. Our President, Dr. Ben Hancock, Athletic Director, Bob McEvoy, and the rest of the administration share my vision and have given me the ability to go out and hire the best coaching staff in America. This coaching staff has a work ethic and drive that can be matched by no other staff in the country. With that being said, our main focus is getting our team graduated in four years WITH A JOB! To get this accomplished, we will demand the players give their absolute best effort in the classroom, out in society as citizens, and on the football field. As a coaching staff, we will teach these young men how to become top-notch student-athletes. We will guide them in every aspect of becoming a man that their family members can be proud of. Winning football games is great, but not at the expense of them graduating with a low grade point average, getting into trouble, or not getting a job or getting into graduate school. The safety and wellbeing of our team and their education is everything to me and this staff. This is not a football team, this is a Football Family.”
