Woods wipes clean USCs coaching slate

[morgan n' 7]

Keydets seek Spark


Published: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 2:00 am SPORTS STAFF



Former University of South Carolina head football coach Sparky Woods was hired Monday at head coach at VMI.

Woods had a 24-28-3 record at USC from 1989-93 after compiling a 38-19-2 mark at Appalachian State. After leaving USC, Woods was an assistant at Memphis, Virginia, Mississippi State and Alabama. He also was an assistant for the New York Jets for one season.



http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080213/SPORTS0102/80213001/1026

[Conway]

This would break another element of the chicken curse. Old Sparky would be the first SC head football coach to be a head coach at another program.

[hardcock2]

This would break another element of the chicken curse. Old Sparky would be the first SC head football coach to be a head coach at another program.

albeit a 'lesser' program....but nonetheless. Good luck Sparky!

[morgan n' 7]

Woods wipes clean USCs coaching slate

Those holding their breath for an ex-Gamecocks coach to land a new head coaching job can breathe easy

By JOSEPH PERSON - jperson@thestate.com (jperson@thestate.com)

When Sparky Woods accepted the Virginia Military job this week, he escaped South Carolina’s “graveyard” and re-entered the head coaching fraternity.

Woods did not realize he was ending a dubious streak — until his wife reminded him. The 54-year-old Woods became the first former Gamecocks coach to get another college head-coaching position after leaving USC since at least World War II.

But Woods cared little about becoming a footnote in USC’s history books. After taking a year off when he was not retained by Nick Saban at Alabama, Woods simply was looking for work.

“I have to be honest: My wife told me that. I don’t know how she knew,” Woods said Wednesday, a day after VMI announced his hiring.

“I don’t know what that means, other than I’m glad to be coaching again. I’m sure I wouldn’t be the head coach at VMI if I hadn’t been the head coach at South Carolina at one time.”

Before Woods was hired this week, USC had been the last college head-coaching stop for the Gamecocks’ previous 10 coaches, beginning with Rex Enright in 1955 and continuing through Lou Holtz 50 years later.

Enright and Holtz were the only two who retired. Joe Morrison died of a heart attack on Feb. 5, 1989, after playing racquetball at Williams-Brice Stadium.

The other seven coaches either were fired or resigned under pressure.
Woods, who succeeded Morrison following a successful tenure at Appalachian State, was let go in 1993 after compiling a 24-28-3 record in five seasons at USC. During stints as an assistant with the New York Jets, Memphis, Virginia, Mississippi State and Alabama the past 15 years, Woods hoped for another shot to run his own program.

“I guess in my mind I thought I’d like to be a head coach again,” he said. “But it wasn’t like I’d never been one and I had to be one tomorrow.”

Woods spent the fall attending football games as a fan for the first time in 30 years. He and his wife, Jean Ann, first would head to east Tennessee, where Woods’ brother is a high school coach. On Saturdays they followed Tennessee to watch their son, Casey, the Vols’ holder and a backup receiver.

“We saw him play 10 times and didn’t get on an airplane,” Woods said. “I’d never seen him play a whole game.”

Woods takes over a VMI program that has not had a winning season since 1981 and went 2-9 last year.

Woods, who will be introduced at VMI on Friday, agreed to a five-year deal with an annual base salary of $122,000, according to The Roanoke Times.

Jim Carlen, who was 45-36-1 at USC from 1975-81, had an interesting reaction when told of Woods’ hire at VMI.

“Good for him. He’s a good fella,” Carlen said. “He should have never left Appalachian State.”

Asked to elaborate, Carlen said, “South Carolina’s tough.”

Carlen, who is retired and spends most of his time in the Hilton Head area, said USC’s move to the SEC in 1992 made a tough job even harder.

But from Woods’ perspective, USC remains a solid program — even if it has not been a springboard for coaches.

Asked about the chances of VMI scheduling USC, Woods laughed and said, “I don’t think we’re ready for the Gamecocks right now.”

Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.

http://www.thestate.com/gamecocks/story/316940.html

[NastyNash]

that is kind of sad to say that all of our coaches from the last fifty years have not gone on to coach again. wow.

[USCIRMO]

“I don’t know what that means, other than I’m glad to be coaching again. I’m sure I wouldn’t be the head coach at VMI if I hadn’t been the head coach at South Carolina at one time.”

Now that is really classy.

I hope he does great things at VMI

[bhusc2002]

that is kind of sad to say that all of our coaches from the last fifty years have not gone on to coach again. wow.
head coaches, yes. but we have had assistants go on to be head coaches. for example, skip at ECU

[garnetgolfr]

Congrats Sparky. We'll all be pullin for ya.

[sc455]

i always was a sparky fan until the end. it wasnt his doing that we joined the sec. he had no idea that was going to happen. he also had king dixon as his ad. that guy was a joker

[FeartheSpur]

another example Tommy West was an assistant here

[FeartheSpur]

good for ol Sparky though

[Click]

Sparky was a good coach. He just came to USC at a bad time, starting us out in the SEC and had to coach under a mediocre administration. I honestly believe he might would have turned it around had he been given more time.

[bhusc2002]

another example Tommy West was an assistant here
and Lou Holtz was a GA.

[FlorenceCock]

and Lou Holtz was a GA.
Charlie Weiss was on Morrisons staff I believe.