The school's publicity director, Billy Sullivan (later owner of the New England Patriots) befriended Goodreault and helped him to obtain therapy to overcome a speech impediment.

[3] As a member of Boston College's football team, Goodreault was five feet, ten inches tall and weighed 180 pounds.

[4] His profile at the College Football Hall of Fame described him as follows: "Fast, powerful and alert, Gene Goodreault was outstanding as a pass-catcher and play-maker blocker on offense and as a play-blaster, destructive tackler on defense.

"[4] In 1939, Goodreault's junior year, Frank Leahy was hired as the head of the Boston College Eagles football team.

At the end of the 1939 season, Goodreault received All-East honors and was also the first recipient of the George H. "Bulger" Lowe Trophy in 1940 as the outstanding football player in New England.