Sparky Woods
5/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sparky Woods
Running Backs
* Fourth Year at Alabama (Jan. 11, 2003)
Sparky Woods is no stranger to the Southeastern Conference, and he has 30 years of coaching experience to offer as the Crimson Tide’s running backs coach.
During the 2005 season, Woods coached running back Kenneth Darby to his second straight 1,000 yard season making him only the fourth running back in Alabama history to post back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons joining Johnny Musso (1970-71), Bobby Humphrey (1987-88) and Shaun Alexander (1998-99). Darby finished the season ranked second in the SEC and 27th nationally with 103.5 yards per game. Darby also ranked seventh in the league and 69th nationally with 114.6 all-purpose yards per game.
In 2004, Woods helped Darby become only the 11th player in Alabama history, and the first sophomore, to top 1,000 yards in a season and finish the year ranked 42nd nationally in rushing. Woods also had senior Ray Hudson well on his way to gaining 1,000 yards on the year, before his season was cut short by a knee injury.
The Alabama rushing attack finished the season ranked fourth in the SEC and 26th nationally in rushing offense. In 2003, Woods mentored Shaud Williams, who led the SEC in rushing yardage and was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker award. His current stint with Alabama is Woods’ fourth stop in the Southeastern Conference after working at Tennessee, South Carolina and Mississippi State. He was head coach at South Carolina from 1989-93, coaching against the Tide in 1992 and 1993. Woods, joined the Tide following a four-year stint at Mississippi State where he was offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for the Bulldogs. The 29-year coaching veteran tutored MSU’s all-time passing leader in Wayne Madkin and guided record-setting offenses for the Bulldogs.
He is a 1976 graduate of Carson-Newman, and began his coaching career at Tennessee. In 1977, he moved to Kansas and then on to North Alabama in 1978. From 1979-82 he coached at Iowa State and then Appalachian State from 1983-88 where he was named head coach in 1984. From 1989-93, he was head coach at South Carolina and then worked a year in the NFL with the New York Jets. From 1995-96, he was offensive coordinator at Memphis and then spent the 1997-98 seasons as offensive coordinator at Virginia. He joined the Mississippi State staff in 1999.
Woods is married to the former Jean Ann Higginbotham and the couple has two children, daughter Emily and son Casey.
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THE WOODS LEDGER | |
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Born: |
December 20, 1953 |
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Education: | |
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1976 |
Carson-Newman, Health and Physical Education |
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Playing Experience: | |
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1973-76 |
Carson-Newman, quarterback and defensive back |
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Coaching Experience: | |
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2003-Present |
Alabama, Running Backs |
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1999-2002 |
Mississippi State, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks |
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1997-98 |
Virginia, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks |
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1995-96 |
Memphis, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks |
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1994 |
New York Jets, Offensive Assistant |
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1989-93 |
South Carolina, Head Coach |
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1983-88 |
Appalachian State, Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks |
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1979-82 |
Iowa State, Receivers |
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1978 |
North Alabama, Defensive Backs |
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1977 |
Kansas |
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1976 |
Tennessee |
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Bowl Participation | |
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As a coach: 2006 Cotton Bowl, 2004 Music City Bowl, 2000 Independence Bowl, 1999 Peach Bowl, 1998 Peach Bowl | |
