Coachspeak: What is Pitt getting in Juelz Goff?

Gerry Yonchiuk has been coaching high school football for over 30 years in Pennsylvania. He has coached some great teams and has seen some special individual talents over the years. As the head coach at Central York High School, he feels his current star player would rank right up there with the best of them.

Juelz Goff, a 5’10” and 190-pound running back in the class of 2024 committed to Pitt over the weekend. Goff rushed for 1,611 yards and 31 touchdowns as a junior for Central York and earned all-state honors. It was his breakout year, but Yonchiuk knew he had a special player well before the 2022 season, and it wasn’t related to what he did on the field.

Yonchiuk believed Goff was able to contribute as a freshman, but with a veteran team that ultimately made the state finals, he kept Goff off to the side. Goff came to him one day and said he loved playing with his friends on the freshman team, but complained they weren’t focused enough.

“I was thinking at the time what 14 year old comes up to the varsity head coach and say, ‘My guys aren’t focused enough?’ So it tells you where his mind frame was and is,” Yonchiuk told Panther-Lair.com about his star running back.

Yonchiuk said Goff is the type of player that remains quiet and goes about his business. He is a lead by example type, and has been that even for his program even as an underclassmen.

“Before I can talk about his football, he’s an unbelievable character kid and that means everything to me,” the veteran coach said. “He’s a soft spoken kid. He’s kind of quiet, doesn’t go out of his way to bring attention to himself. He is everything that you would want in a high school football player and a college prospect in terms of work ethic, character, and all of those things.”

Pitt landed Kenny Johnson in the class of 2023 out of nearby Dallastown. Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi and assistant Dave Borbely made their way out to visit Johnson in December, but made a quick stop by Central York to meet with Yonchiuk and that is when they extended the offer. The veteran coach said he has known Narduzzi for a while, and knew if he was visiting there was serious interest on Pitt’s end.

“I knew when he came in that he wouldn’t waste his time if he wasn’t truly interested in Juelz,” he said of Pitt’s initial contact. “I was thrilled about it and it just seems with Pitt, the tradition of running backs over all the years at Pittsburgh…he kind of fits that mold. They’ve always been known to have a great rushing attack and I think they are getting a really, really solid player.”

The interest turned serious rather quickly.

Goff made his decision to commit to Pitt a little under two months after the Panthers offered. Yonchiuk anticipated Goff would make an early decision, as he wants to prepare for his senior year with some unfinished business. Central York posted a 10-2 record, but they were bounced in the playoffs by Harrisburg.

“We try to do some really special things at Central and he likes that aspect of how we base our program and he felt that way and felt very comfortable with Coach Borbely and Coach Narduzzi,” Yonchiuk said of Goff’s interest in Pitt. “(Narduzzi) is just a genuine guy and his honesty and he felt like that would be a good fit for him.”

The character and production of Goff is obviously noteworthy, but when watching his film, his speed jumps off the screen. Goff ran track for the first time last spring, and his first meet he posted a 10.9 in the 100-meter dash.

“His top end speed for a back is really excellent,” Yonchiuk said.

Goff spoke to Panther-Lair.com back in December following his offer. He had one main draw that has always kept him interested in Pitt.

“One of my favorites, if not my favorite back, went to Pitt, LeSean McCoy,” Goff said in that December interview. “So that is one of my reasons for following Pitt.”

As a long time head coach in the Harrisburg region, Yonchiuk crossed paths with McCoy back when he was a prep star at Bishop McDevitt.

“Juelz has some similar traits,” Yonchiuk noted. “I’m not comparing him and I’m not saying he’s Shady at all, but he hits that open hole so fast and can get there.”