COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Ex-Elizabethtown standout Gohman named NAIA All-American (12/13)

A sprained right MCL which cost him two games and parts of another couldn’t derail Chris Gohman from a standout senior season with Georgetown College.

After catching 48 passes for 719 yards and seven touchdowns in just nine games for the top-ranked Tigers, the former Elizabethtown High School standout became the 14th player in school history to earn AFCA NAIA Coaches’ All-American Team honors.

“We had a great season and we ended the regular season No. 1 in the nation,” said the 2009 Elizabethtown graduate. “Losing in the first round of the playoffs was pretty upsetting, but we still accomplished a lot this year. Like I said, it was a good year.”

Gohman’s season ranked him in the top 10 for school single-season marks such as receptions, receptions per game and receiving touchdowns.

“This year I had a pretty big load to carry. I was in on all third downs and I was there to do pretty much whatever they needed me to do,” said the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Gohman, who saw time at tight end in certain sets and even played some kick returner after suffering the injury in the second game. “When I came back, I felt pretty good. I’ve become accustomed to injuries but if you come back timid, you’ll get hurt again. I figured this was my last time playing, so I should give it my all.”

Gohman hopes his career isn’t all over yet, as he is participating in a joint Arena Football League/Canadian Football League combine Saturday in Cincinnati. In late winter or early spring, he could participate in Eastern Kentucky University’s pro day.

Gohman, who caught 25 touchdowns in 38 games, finished his career among school leaders in receptions per game (3.3), receptions (124) and receiving yards (2,215).

Earlier this year, Gohman was voted to the Mid-South Conference All-Conference first team and earned MSC Academic All-Conference honors.

During his senior season at Elizabethtown, Gohman caught 85 passes for 1,743 yards and 26 touchdowns in 13 games, becoming the only primary receiver to win the annual News-Enterprise/Coaches’ Area Offensive Player of the Year award in the last 13 years. Gohman also earned first-team All-State honors by the coaches as well as Associated Press.

Coming out of high school, Gohman dreamed of playing for an NCAA Division-I program, such as Louisville, Kentucky or Western Kentucky.

“Going into to college, it was a rude awakening because I wasn’t as strong as I should have been,” said Gohman, noting he’s put on more than 30 pounds of muscle since his Panther playing days and added with a laugh, “I definitely put on that freshman 15.”

Looking back though, Gohman said he was glad he landed at Georgetown.

 “I wouldn’t change it for the world,” said the 21-year-old Gohman, who is on pace to graduate with a chemistry degree in 2013. “When I come home next year, I’ll have three conference championship rings, I would have met some great guys who I’ll consider friends for life, I would have got to play for great coaches and I’ll have a good degree. So I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Nathaniel Bryan can be reached at (270) 505-1758 or nbryan@thenewsenterprise.com