Sparky Woods - Misplaced Pages

American football player and coach (born 1953)

Sparky Woods
Biographical details
Born	(1953-12-20) December 20, 1953 (age 70) Oneida, Tennessee, U.S.
Playing career
1973–1975	Carson–Newman

Position(s)	Quarterback, defensive back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1976	Tennessee (assistant)
1977	Kansas (assistant)
1978	North Alabama (DB)
1979–1982	Iowa State (WR)
1983	Appalachian State (OC/QB/RB)
1984–1988	Appalachian State
1989–1993	South Carolina
1994	New York Jets (OA)
1995–1996	Memphis (OC/QB)
1997–1998	Virginia (OC/QB)
1999–2002	Mississippi State (OC/QB)
2003–2006	Alabama (RB)
2008–2014	VMI
2015–2016	Richmond (RB/RC)
2017–2018	Richmond (RB/co-STC)
2019–2023	North Carolina (Adviser)

Head coaching record
Overall	80–108–5
Tournaments	2–2 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 SoCon (1986–1987)
Awards
3× Southern Conference Coach of the Year (1985–1987)

Phillip Perry "Sparky" Woods (born December 20, 1953) is an American college football coach. He was most recently a senior adviser for the football team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Woods served as the head football coach at Appalachian State University from 1984 to 1988, the University of South Carolina from 1989 to 1993, and the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), from 2008 to 2014.

Playing career

Woods attended Oneida High School, where he is in its Hall of Fame. He holds the record for the most interceptions in a season. He played quarterback and defensive back at Carson–Newman College before graduating in 1976.

Coaching career

Woods was named the 30th head coach at VMI on February 13, 2008. Before arriving at VMI, Woods had over 30 years of college and professional coaching experience.

When coaching at South Carolina, a song about Woods entitled "Sparky Rock" was released on cassette tape.

On November 24, 2014, it was announced by VMI that Woods' contract would not be renewed by Athletic Director Dave Diles. The announcement came less than a day after a 45–25 loss to arch rival The Citadel, ending a 2–10 season for the Keydets. In seven seasons, Woods compiled a 17–62 record at VMI, including a mark of 9–32 in conference play.

On February 20, 2015, he was named running backs coach, recruiting coordinator, and associate head coach, at the University of Richmond.

In 2019, Woods joined Mack Brown's staff at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a senior adviser to Brown.

Personal life

Woods and his wife, Jean Ann, have two children, a daughter, Emily, and a son, Casey who is on the SMU football staff.

Head coaching record


Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	NCAA
Appalachian State Mountaineers (Southern Conference) (1984–1988)
1984	Appalachian State	4–7	2–5	7th
1985	Appalachian State	8–3	6–1	2nd		12
1986	Appalachian State	9–2–1	6–0–1	1st	L NCAA Division I-AA First Round	6
1987	Appalachian State	11–3	7–0	1st	L NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal	2
1988	Appalachian State	6–4–1	4–3	4th
Appalachian State:		38–19–2	25–9–1
South Carolina Gamecocks (NCAA Division I-A independent) (1989–1991)
1989	South Carolina	6–4–1
1990	South Carolina	6–5
1991	South Carolina	3–6–2
South Carolina Gamecocks (Southeastern Conference) (1992–1993)
1992	South Carolina	5–6	3–5	4th (Eastern)
1993	South Carolina	5–6	2–6	T–4th (Eastern)
South Carolina:		25–27–3	5–11
VMI Keydets (Big South Conference) (2008–2013)
2008	VMI	4–7	1–4	T–3rd
2009	VMI	2–9	1–5	6th
2010	VMI	3–8	2–4	T–4th
2011	VMI	2–9	2–4	T–5th
2012	VMI	2–9	1–5	6th
2013	VMI	2–10	1–4	6th
VMI Keydets (Southern Conference) (2014)
2014	VMI	2–10	1–6	8th
VMI:		17–62	9–32
Total:		80–108–5
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth

References

"VMI News Release on Hiring". Archived from the original on February 14, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2008.
"Woods Contract Not Extended as VMI Head Football Coach". VMIKeydets.com. November 24, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
John, O'Connor (February 20, 2015). "Ex-VMI coach Woods joins UR staff, Fisher promoted to offensive coordinator". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
Anderson, Reggie (January 10, 2019). "Sparky Woods joins UNC staff". WLTX. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
"Sparky Woods - Senior Advisor to the Head Coach - Staff Directory".

v t e Appalachian State Mountaineers head football coaches
Graydon Eggers (1928) C. B. Johnston (1929–1932) Eugene Garbee (1933–1934) Kidd Brewer (1935–1938) Flucie Stewart (1939) R. W. "Red" Watkins (1940–1941) Beattie Feathers (1942) No team (1943–1944) Francis Hoover (1945) Flucie Stewart (1946) E. C. Duggins (1947–1950) Pres Mull (1951) E. C. Duggins (1952–1955) Bob Broome (1956–1958) Bob Breitenstein (1959) Jim Duncan (1960–1964) Carl Messere (1965–1970) Jim Brakefield (1971–1979) Mike Working (1980–1982) Mack Brown (1983) Sparky Woods (1984–1988) Jerry Moore (1989–2012) Scott Satterfield (2013–2018) Mark Ivey # (2018) Eliah Drinkwitz (2019) Shawn Clark (2019–2024) Dowell Loggains (2025–present)
# denotes interim/acting head coach

Appalachian State Mountaineers head football coaches

Graydon Eggers (1928)
C. B. Johnston (1929–1932)
Eugene Garbee (1933–1934)
Kidd Brewer (1935–1938)
Flucie Stewart (1939)
R. W. "Red" Watkins (1940–1941)
Beattie Feathers (1942)
No team (1943–1944)
Francis Hoover (1945)
Flucie Stewart (1946)
E. C. Duggins (1947–1950)
Pres Mull (1951)
E. C. Duggins (1952–1955)
Bob Broome (1956–1958)
Bob Breitenstein (1959)
Jim Duncan (1960–1964)
Carl Messere (1965–1970)
Jim Brakefield (1971–1979)
Mike Working (1980–1982)
Mack Brown (1983)
Sparky Woods (1984–1988)
Jerry Moore (1989–2012)
Scott Satterfield (2013–2018)
Mark Ivey # (2018)
Eliah Drinkwitz (2019)
Shawn Clark (2019–2024)
Dowell Loggains (2025–present)

# denotes interim/acting head coach

v t e South Carolina Gamecocks head football coaches
No coach (1892) No team (1893) No coach (1894–1895) Richard S. Whaley (1896) Frederick M. Murphy (1897) Bill Wertenbaker (1898) Irving O. Hunt (1899–1900) Byron W. Dickson (1901) Bob Williams (1902–1903) Christie Benet (1904–1905) No team (1906) Douglas McKay (1907) Christie Benet (1908–1909) John Neff (1910–1911) Norman B. Edgerton (1912–1915) W. Rice Warren (1916) Dixon Foster (1917) Frank Dobson (1918) Dixon Foster (1919) Sol Metzger (1920–1924) Branch Bocock (1925–1926) Harry Lightsey (1927) Billy Laval (1928–1934) Don McCallister (1935–1937) Rex Enright (1938–1942) James Moran Sr. (1943) Williams Newton (1944) John D. McMillan (1945) Rex Enright (1946–1955) Warren Giese (1956–1960) Marvin Bass (1961–1965) Paul Dietzel (1966–1974) Jim Carlen (1975–1981) Richard Bell (1982) Joe Morrison (1983–1988) Sparky Woods (1989–1993) Brad Scott (1994–1998) Lou Holtz (1999–2004) Steve Spurrier (2005–2015) Shawn Elliott # (2015) Will Muschamp (2016–2020) Mike Bobo # (2020) Shane Beamer (2021– ) # denotes interim head coach

South Carolina Gamecocks head football coaches

No coach (1892)
No team (1893)
No coach (1894–1895)
Richard S. Whaley (1896)
Frederick M. Murphy (1897)
Bill Wertenbaker (1898)
Irving O. Hunt (1899–1900)
Byron W. Dickson (1901)
Bob Williams (1902–1903)
Christie Benet (1904–1905)
No team (1906)
Douglas McKay (1907)
Christie Benet (1908–1909)
John Neff (1910–1911)
Norman B. Edgerton (1912–1915)
W. Rice Warren (1916)
Dixon Foster (1917)
Frank Dobson (1918)
Dixon Foster (1919)
Sol Metzger (1920–1924)
Branch Bocock (1925–1926)
Harry Lightsey (1927)
Billy Laval (1928–1934)
Don McCallister (1935–1937)
Rex Enright (1938–1942)
James Moran Sr. (1943)
Williams Newton (1944)
John D. McMillan (1945)
Rex Enright (1946–1955)
Warren Giese (1956–1960)
Marvin Bass (1961–1965)
Paul Dietzel (1966–1974)
Jim Carlen (1975–1981)
Richard Bell (1982)
Joe Morrison (1983–1988)
Sparky Woods (1989–1993)
Brad Scott (1994–1998)
Lou Holtz (1999–2004)
Steve Spurrier (2005–2015)
Shawn Elliott # (2015)
Will Muschamp (2016–2020)
Mike Bobo # (2020)
Shane Beamer (2021– )

# denotes interim head coach

v t e VMI Keydets head football coaches
Unknown (1873) No team (1874–1890) Walter Taylor (1891) No coach (1892–1894) George W. Bryant (1895–1896) R. N. Groner (1897) Sam Boyle (1898–1899) Sam Walker (1900–1902) Bill Roper (1903–1904) Ira Johnson (1905–1906) Charles Roller (1907–1908) William C. Gloth (1909–1910) Alpha Brumage (1911–1912) Henry Poague (1913) Frank Gorton (1914–1916) Earl Abell (1917) Earl Abell & Mose Goodman (1918) Red Fleming (1919) Blandy Clarkson (1920–1926) W. C. Raftery (1927–1936) Pooley Hubert (1937–1946) Arthur Morton (1947–1948) Tom Nugent (1949–1952) John McKenna (1953–1965) Vito Ragazzo (1966–1970) Bob Thalman (1971–1984) Eddie Williamson (1985–1988) Jim Shuck (1989–1993) Bill Stewart (1994–1996) Ted Cain (1997–1998) Donny White # (1998) Cal McCombs (1999–2005) Jim Reid (2006–2007) Sparky Woods (2008–2014) Scott Wachenheim (2015–2022) Danny Rocco (2023– ) # denotes interim head coach

VMI Keydets head football coaches

Unknown (1873)
No team (1874–1890)
Walter Taylor (1891)
No coach (1892–1894)
George W. Bryant (1895–1896)
R. N. Groner (1897)
Sam Boyle (1898–1899)
Sam Walker (1900–1902)
Bill Roper (1903–1904)
Ira Johnson (1905–1906)
Charles Roller (1907–1908)
William C. Gloth (1909–1910)
Alpha Brumage (1911–1912)
Henry Poague (1913)
Frank Gorton (1914–1916)
Earl Abell (1917)
Earl Abell & Mose Goodman (1918)
Red Fleming (1919)
Blandy Clarkson (1920–1926)
W. C. Raftery (1927–1936)
Pooley Hubert (1937–1946)
Arthur Morton (1947–1948)
Tom Nugent (1949–1952)
John McKenna (1953–1965)
Vito Ragazzo (1966–1970)
Bob Thalman (1971–1984)
Eddie Williamson (1985–1988)
Jim Shuck (1989–1993)
Bill Stewart (1994–1996)
Ted Cain (1997–1998)
Donny White # (1998)
Cal McCombs (1999–2005)
Jim Reid (2006–2007)
Sparky Woods (2008–2014)
Scott Wachenheim (2015–2022)
Danny Rocco (2023– )

# denotes interim head coach

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