JEFFERSON TWP — What can he do for an encore?

Matt Goodlin and his Knoch football teammates are anxious to find out.

Knoch opens its 2019 season when it hosts Hampton at 7 p.m. Friday. Goodlin begins his senior year coming off a school-record 1,441 yards rushing last season.

He broke the record minus the benefit of playoff games being added to his team's schedule. Goodlin rushed for 233 yards in the season finale to grab the record. The late Tim McNerney rushed for 1,431 yards in 2007.

Goodlin said he benefited from the Knights' triple-option attack.

“There's no doubt,” the 5-foot-10, 185-pound running back said. “A lot of people took part in that record. Our quarterback, the A-back, the offensive line ... Without them, none of it happens.

“I like how our offense is looking. My goal is to break the record again. My bigger goal is to win.”

Goodlin is the younger brother of Andrew Rumburg-Goodlin, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards as the feature back for the Knights in 2011. That team reached Heinz Field before losing to Montour in the WPIAL championship game.

“I went to every game that year,” Goodlin said. “I was in fifth grade. I remember how exciting those playoff games were. The run that team went on was incredible.

“I want that for me ... for us.”

First-year Knoch head coach Brandon Mowry knows Goodlin is fueled for a big senior season.

“Matty is a great kid who comes from a great family,” Mowry said. “He plays defense (at linebacker) every bit as hard as he runs the ball.

“He's got tremendous vision and he hits the hole hard. He can plant his foot in the dirt, make jump cuts, next thing you know, he's 15 or 20 yards down the field.”

Goodlin credits much of his running back skills to his older brother.

“It's cool because he's the one who first taught me how to play the position,” Goodlin said. “He taught me how to find the hole.

“Andrew still comes to all of the Knoch games. We run a different offense now than what he played in, so now he's teaching me more about life than football.”

Goodlin is benefiting from both.

He wants to play college football and has received some letters from schools. He's received no concrete offers yet.

“That will all sort itself out,” he said.

For now, Goodlin is working on improving as a running back.

“I've hit the weight room harder to work on the physical side of the game and I've been working on my speed,” he said. “You can always get stronger and faster.

“And no fumbles this year. I fumbled four times last year. That can't happen again.”

His coach recognizes how strong his running back is.

“He can bench 575 pounds with his 180-pound frame,” Mowry said. “That's crazy.”

No crazier than what Goodlin may accomplish on the gridiron this fall.

“Like I said, we want to break that (rushing) record again, as a team like last year,” he said. “And we want that long playoff run. This is it. We're seniors. We've been playing football together for the past six or seven years.

“It's time to get it done.”