Woods also credits head coach Chris Smith for helping build the program.“ Coach Smith has been great for our program. He brought a lot of energy and accountability, and he expects us to work hard and do things the right way,” Woods stated.“ Having him back for his second year is definitely an advantage because he knows us better now, and we understand what he expects from us.”
With experienced players returning and young talent joining the program, Woods believes Gosnell has everything it needs to make another run.“ We have a lot of guys who can make an impact this year. The expectation for the returning players is to step up because we’ ve been in the program and understand what is expected of us. We also have some younger guys who are hungry and talented.”
After his senior season, Woods will continue his football career at Southern Illinois University.“ I’ m committed to Southern Illinois University, and I’ m excited about continuing my football career there while getting my college education,” he said.“ I want to take advantage of the opportunity to compete at the next level, earn my degree, and continue growing as a person.”
But before he moves on to the next chapter, Woods has one final goal at Gosnell: leave behind a legacy that his teammates and younger players can be proud of.“ I want Pirate fans to remember me as someone who always gave everything he had,” Woods said.“ I want them to remember me as a hard worker, a good teammate, and someone who represented Gosnell the right way. I’ m proud to be a Pirate, and I want to leave a legacy that the younger players can look up to. More than anything, I want people to know that I never took the opportunity to play for Gosnell for granted.”