Orlando Gooden dismissed as Granite City football coach after one season
After just one season, Orlando ‘Doc’ Gooden is out as the head football coach at Granite City High School.
Granite City School District 9 Superintendent Jim Greenwald confirmed Wednesday that, by a 5-1 vote of the school board, Gooden had been dismissed after leading the Warriors to a 3-6 record.
“This has nothing to do with Mr. Gooden’s character or the type of person that he is. Mr. Gooden is a fine man,” Greenwald said. “The board just decided to go in a different direction.”
Gooden, an East St. Louis native and 2001 graduate of Cahokia High School, who went on to play college football at University of Missouri before finishing his playing career at Indiana State. He took over the Warriors program from Brad Hasquin, who resigned after leading Granite City to a 5-5 record and its first IHSA playoff appearance in nine years during the 2018 season.
Granite City Principal Daren DePew confirmed Wednesday morning that he recommended Gooden be rehired for the 2020 season.
Gooden said Tuesday he was “shocked” after being told that he would not be coming back for a second season.
“I was stunned,” Gooden said. “I was pleased with the way the program was headed and the amount of work the players were putting in. Principal Daren DePew had recommended that I be rehired for next season and I was excited about working with these young men once again and getting ready for the 2020 season.
“While I am disappointed, I am also very thankful for the opportunity that was given to me to be the head football coach at Granite City High School in 2019.”
After graduating from Indiana State in 2006, Gooden returned to the metro east. He was a volunteer assistant at Cahokia from 2008 to 2010 then was an assistant, working primarily with the Comanches’ freshmen and junior-varsity teams, from 2010-16.
Gooden then worked with the Cahokia youth football program in 2017-18 before being hired by Granite City last March.
While the Warriors, competing as an independent for the second year after leaving the Southwestern Conference, following the 2017-18 school season, finished 3-6 this past season, Gooden liked what he saw in his team.
“We were building and I was looking forward to seeing these young men continue to grow as football players and individuals. Academically, we were doing well and I really appreciate the hard work the players put in,” Gooden said.
This story was originally published January 15, 2020 at 2:55 PM.
