THE SITUATION: Auburn was his dream school and he committed to the in-state Tigers in May of 2019. Trussville (Ala.) Hewitt-Trussville four-star running back Armoni Goodwin looked to be strong with his commitment up until he surprised most when he decommitted late in November. Florida State was in the mix then, and the Seminoles tried to hang around, but it became a battle between SEC West foes Auburn and LSU. Before the firing of Gus Malzahn, it looked like Goodwin had come full circle and was going to ink with Auburn, but as soon as that happened, doubt creeped into his mind, and questions about the future on the Plains, then Ed Orgeron and LSU swooped in, took advantage and closed the deal.
WHY ITS BIG FOR LSU: To go into Alabama and win a recruiting battle against a recruit's in-state school is always big. But for LSU to, they offered early, they continued to recruit, and they kept the effort up, and eventually Goodwin started listening, and LSU stole him from Auburn late. Could Goodwin be used like a Clyde Edwards-Helaire was in Baton Rouge? That is likely what the offensive staff in Baton Rouge is envisioning. He is a playmaker and he is healthy. He played only three games his junior year due to an ACL injury, but he came back strong in 2020 and had a big senior season.
WHO IT HURTS MOST: This is easy, and doesn't really need an explanation. Goodwin was an Auburn target from the beginning, and he and Carnell Williams got extremely close. Goodwin went through an injury, Williams was there for support, and Auburn put a lot of time into his recruitment to lose him in the end. And to lose him late to an SEC foe they play each season. This one stings on the Plains.
PLAYER BREAKDOWN: Goodwin is a dynamic back, and although on the smaller side, he is explosive and can play big. He is a back that is more of a one-cut back and really gets down hill well when he sees the hole develop. He runs with good balance and is a very good receiver out of the backfield. He has a great burst when he sees daylight and he will be a back LSU can put into motion and use out of the slot to create mismatches.
