SPARKY WOODS
Associate Head Coach/Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
Coach Info:
Position: Associate Head Coach/Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
Alma Mater: Carson-Newman
Graduating Year: 1976
Experience: 1st Year
Phone: 804-289-8380
Email: pwoods@richmond.edu
On Feb. 20, 2015, Richmond head coach Danny Rocco announced the hiring of former VMI head coach Sparky Woods as associate head coach, recruiting coordinator and running backs coach. Woods enters his first season with the Spiders.
Woods brings a great wealth of football knowledge and experience with him to Richmond. Woods has 17 years of head coaching experience at Appalachian State, South Carolina and most recently, VMI, as well as 20 years of assistant coach experience at both the collegiate and professional levels.
After five years of coaching at South Carolina, Woods returned to the FCS (I-AA) ranks at VMI. With App State, Woods produced a successful run as head coach of Appalachian State for five seasons from 1984 through 1988. Woods guided the Mountaineers to a 38-19-2 mark and two Southern Conference titles (1986, 1987) and two I-AA playoff appearances. Over the two-year span in '86-'87, Appalachian State posted a perfect 13-0 conference mark.
The Southern Conference tabbed Woods as Coach of the Year for three consecutive years (1985-87) and he was also named Kodak Region II Coach of the Year in 1986.
Prior to accepting the VMI position, Woods served as running backs coach at Alabama from 2003 through 2006. While in Tuscaloosa, Woods coached Tide running back Kenneth Darby to two consecutive 1,000 yard seasons and also mentored Shaud Williams, who led the SEC in rushing yardage in 2003 and was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker award. The Tide also led the SEC in rushing for three consecutive seasons (2003, 2004, 2005).
Woods was also head coach at South Carolina from 1989-93, and later served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Memphis (1995-96), Virginia (1997-98), and Mississippi State (1999-02). At Virginia, Woods tutored NFL QB Aaron Brooks, who finished as the school's third all-time leading passer (5,118 yds.) and second all-time leader in passing TD's (33). While at MSU, Woods coached MSU's all-time passing leader, Wayne Madkin, and help establish record-setting offenses for the Bulldogs.
As an assistant coach, Woods participated in five bowl games; the 2006 Cotton Bowl, 2004 Music City Bowl, 2000 Independence Bowl, 1999 Peach Bowl, and 1998 Peach Bowl. In 1994, Woods served as an offensive assistant for the New York Jets.
Woods is a 1976 graduate of Carson-Newman and began his coaching career at Tennessee later that year. In 1977, he moved to Kansas before serving one year as defensive backs coach at North Alabama in 1978. From 1979-82 he coached at Iowa State, handling the receivers, before joining Appalachian State in 1983 as offensive coordinator, quarterbacks, and running backs coach under Mack Brown. One year later, Woods was named head coach at Appalachian State.
Woods and his wife, Jean Ann, have two children, a son, Casey who is on the Auburn football staff, and a daughter, Emily who recently received her Masters degree from the University of Alabama.
Associate Head Coach/Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
Coach Info:
Position: Associate Head Coach/Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
Alma Mater: Carson-Newman
Graduating Year: 1976
Experience: 1st Year
Phone: 804-289-8380
Email: pwoods@richmond.edu
On Feb. 20, 2015, Richmond head coach Danny Rocco announced the hiring of former VMI head coach Sparky Woods as associate head coach, recruiting coordinator and running backs coach. Woods enters his first season with the Spiders.
Woods brings a great wealth of football knowledge and experience with him to Richmond. Woods has 17 years of head coaching experience at Appalachian State, South Carolina and most recently, VMI, as well as 20 years of assistant coach experience at both the collegiate and professional levels.
After five years of coaching at South Carolina, Woods returned to the FCS (I-AA) ranks at VMI. With App State, Woods produced a successful run as head coach of Appalachian State for five seasons from 1984 through 1988. Woods guided the Mountaineers to a 38-19-2 mark and two Southern Conference titles (1986, 1987) and two I-AA playoff appearances. Over the two-year span in '86-'87, Appalachian State posted a perfect 13-0 conference mark.
The Southern Conference tabbed Woods as Coach of the Year for three consecutive years (1985-87) and he was also named Kodak Region II Coach of the Year in 1986.
Prior to accepting the VMI position, Woods served as running backs coach at Alabama from 2003 through 2006. While in Tuscaloosa, Woods coached Tide running back Kenneth Darby to two consecutive 1,000 yard seasons and also mentored Shaud Williams, who led the SEC in rushing yardage in 2003 and was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker award. The Tide also led the SEC in rushing for three consecutive seasons (2003, 2004, 2005).
Woods was also head coach at South Carolina from 1989-93, and later served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Memphis (1995-96), Virginia (1997-98), and Mississippi State (1999-02). At Virginia, Woods tutored NFL QB Aaron Brooks, who finished as the school's third all-time leading passer (5,118 yds.) and second all-time leader in passing TD's (33). While at MSU, Woods coached MSU's all-time passing leader, Wayne Madkin, and help establish record-setting offenses for the Bulldogs.
As an assistant coach, Woods participated in five bowl games; the 2006 Cotton Bowl, 2004 Music City Bowl, 2000 Independence Bowl, 1999 Peach Bowl, and 1998 Peach Bowl. In 1994, Woods served as an offensive assistant for the New York Jets.
Woods is a 1976 graduate of Carson-Newman and began his coaching career at Tennessee later that year. In 1977, he moved to Kansas before serving one year as defensive backs coach at North Alabama in 1978. From 1979-82 he coached at Iowa State, handling the receivers, before joining Appalachian State in 1983 as offensive coordinator, quarterbacks, and running backs coach under Mack Brown. One year later, Woods was named head coach at Appalachian State.
Woods and his wife, Jean Ann, have two children, a son, Casey who is on the Auburn football staff, and a daughter, Emily who recently received her Masters degree from the University of Alabama.
