Rutgers moves former Madison RB Goodwin to CB as injuries mount

• Rutgers moved halfback Justin Goodwin to cornerback for the foreseeable future
• The move was precipitated by injuries to cornerbacks Nadir Barnwell and Dre Boggs
• Goodwin rushed for 531 yards and five touchdowns and had two 100-yard games as a true freshman
• Rutgers made a similar move last season with wide receiver Ruhann Peele

PISCATAWAY – Call it déjà vu for the Rutgers football team.

For the second time in as many seasons, coach Kyle Flood has moved one of his best offensive players across the line of scrimmage to provide relief to a depleted secondary.

Rutgers announced Wednesday that halfback Justin Goodwin, who was the team's second-leading rusher last season as a true freshman, has been moved to cornerback, where the team is without potential starters Nadir Barnwell (ankle) and fast-rising true freshman Dre Boggs (lower body).

Flood recounted his conversation with Goodwin: "I said to him. Listen, I know you have really spent your whole career at running back and if you stay on offense, you're going to play a lot for us, so it's really not even about that. But if you go over to defense and it works out, you might play the whole game. And I think we'll be a better team because of it."

Rutgers moved wide receiver Ruhann Peele to cornerback in the middle of last season when the defense surrendered a school-record 4,058 passing yards but Peele is unavailable to reprise the role because he is injured and doubtful for the season-opener. Anthony Cioffi and Gareef Glashen are Rutgers' only two experienced healthy corners, with six true freshmen defensive backs who just became more important.

"I would not be opposed to playing him both ways," said Flood, who didn't commit to the switch as permanent. "Justin is a very smart football player. He's certainly not going to forget what he's learned on offense and with the whole offensive package being in, he can really learn the little intricacies of the game plans as we need him so that he could always be there for us in an emergency role."

Flood, who saw former starting cornerback Ian Thomas quit the team for a second time in June, said he is still waiting for the final report on Boggs but it is thought that he is going to "be down for a little bit." He did not rule out moving strong safety Delon Stephenson back to cornerback, either.

"At first I was kind of surprised," Goodwin said, "but whatever he needs me to do to help the team out I'm willing to do. I'm sure (Peele) will have advice for me on how to handle it."

Goodwin played cornerback at Madison High School and there was talk of putting him there during his recruitment. Instead he rushed for 531 yards and five touchdowns and had two 100-yard games.

"Probably getting the plays down and then getting in and out of breaks," Goodwin said of the biggest adjustments ahead. "I felt a little uncomfortable (Wednesday) but I'm going to have to adjust and get to work."

Cioffi played opposite Peele last season and was opposite Goodwin in Wednesday's practice.

"Justin is honing in on the defense and learning the calls," Cioffi said. "As I would tell him, he would understand them. Once we explain it to him, he gets it off the bat."

While losing Goodwin is a blow to the offense, halfback appears to be the deepest position on the roster, with First-Team All-American Athletic Conference pick Paul James, spring camp star Desmon Peoples and true freshmen Robert Martin and Josh Hicks, neither of whom is expected to redshirt.

"Even though I know he went down in the second practice, he looked pretty good today again," Flood said of Peoples. "(If) he had not come on the way he has, this probably would have been a tougher decision to make. I don't know if I would have been as quick to pull the trigger on it. I think this gives us a chance to get another really good football player on the field."

Rutgers opens the season against Washington State and returning redshirt senior quarterback Connor Halliday, who set PAC-12 single-season records with 449 completions and 714 attempts in 2013. His 4,597 yards were the second-most in league history and his 34 touchdowns were a school record.

"It puts a lot of stress (on the defense) and we'll probably be in three- or four-corner sets so we have to be ready," Cioffi said. "Whoever is up it's their call and they've got to step up."

Staff Writer Ryan Dunleav: rdunleav@gannett.com