Column: Goodwin, Golden Tigers winners before they even take the field tonight at Briarwood

They won’t kick off their second round playoff game until 7 p.m., but the Russellville Golden Tigers varsity football team and its Coach Dustin Goodwin are already winners regardless of what happens on the field tonight.

Goodwin and his coaching staff faced a tremendous obstacle before the season even started, with the loss of All-State running back Cam Phinizee after he was arrested on felony charges and later unenrolled from Russellville High School.

This year’s Golden Tigers were already thin on experienced senior starters. The entire Russellville offensive line graduated last spring, but the Golden Tigers’ 2025 offense would still revolve around its star running back until  one fateful March night, it wouldn’t.

That left only two returning offensive starters, a junior fullback and a sophomore quarterback.

Navigating a team of 15-18 year olds through the aftermath of these challenges could have destroyed the season before it even began.

But Goodwin, preparing for only his second season at Russellville, refused to let that happen and never used it as an excuse for lowered expectations. And that’s not an easy thing to accomplish.

In today’s world of social media, empowered keyboard warriors, never afraid to blast others while hiding behind a cloak of anonymity, can poison the momentum of a young football team.

But the Golden Tigers, in large part due to their coach remaining positive, have a 7-4 record and have reached the second round of the 5A playoffs.

I had the chance to interview Goodwin before the season the annual Football in the South Media Day in July. He remained genuinely positive about the coming season. It wasn’t an act. It was a true example of character under fire.

I have interviewed Goodwin multiple times since his hiring in February 2024 after what was a very public coaching search.

But on a week-to-week basis during football season, it’s our sports editor Kadin Pounders who hosts a radio show with Goodwin and interviews him after each game.

Same thoughts from Kadin—Goodwin  remained focused on what his players could do on the field, while shelving any lingering concerns about things beyond his or their control.

Goodwin exhibits a calm demeanor but don’t mistake that for a lack of competitiveness. He has his father’s (former RHS Coach Doug Goodwin’s) passion for winning. He came into this job with an understanding of the expectations for this program. And Goodwin’s teams battle through the final whistle every Friday night.

The Golden Tigers finished 7-4 in Goodwin’s first season, their same record before tonight’s game. Russellville is 10-2 in Class 5A Region 7 games in Goodwin’s two seasons, out scoring opponents 447-190.

Russellville’s only Region 7 losses both came to region champion Fairview, last year by one point in triple overtime and a seven-point loss this season. The Aggies are 11-0 and travel to Jacksonville tonight for a second round playoff game.

After his team started 0-2 with losses to Deshler and Mars Hill, the excuses could have permeated the Russellville locker room and the 2025 season could have blown up. But Goodwin and the Golden Tigers’ staff kept their team on track.

By the way, Deshler is 11-1 and will travel to Hamilton tonight in a 4A second round playoff game. Undefeated Mars Hill looks well on its way to back-to-back 3A state championships.

And don’t be surprised if the Golden Tigers grab a win on the road tonight at Briarwood. Since 2022, the Lions’ overall record is 20-23. Coach Matthew Forester’s team did post an impressive 28-3 first-round playoff win last week against Leeds, and overcame its own 0-2 start followed by three consecutive wins to turn its season around.

These are two well-respected traditional powers in Alabama high school football circles. Each has its share of championship blue maps.

But wins and losses are eventually forgotten as life moves on. Character, though, doesn’t fade away. The character shown by this year’s Golden Tiger team will have a positive impact in each player’s life long after high school.

And that would not have happened without the character, maturity and quiet leadership displayed by Dustin Goodwin.

That’s a winning life lesson for these Golden Tigers, on or off the football field.