Ricky Woods enters his fifth season as head coach at Northwest, where the 30-year coaching veteran has compiled a 27-11 record (19-5 north) in his first four seasons at the helm and kept the Rangers in the national spotlight.
With a convincing, 45-7 win at Itawamba in the 2011 regular season finale, Woods moved in front of A.J. Kilpatrick with 27 career victories, which is good enough for second all-time in Senatobia. Legendary head coach and NJCAA Hall of Famer Bobby Franklin’s record of 201 victories from 1981-2004 seems safe for now.
In his 23 seasons as a high school and collegiate head coach, Woods’ success has gained him numerous state, regional and national Coach of the Year recognition. He added one more award to his trophy case in 2010, being voted the MACJC Coach of the Year after leading Northwest to an undefeated regular season, north division championship and No. 6 final ranking by the NJCAA - the first Top 10 finish since the 1999 season.
Woods officially took the reins of the Ranger football program in January 2008 and has quickly put Northwest back on the national radar. With a fine staff of assistant coaches under his wing, Northwest has ranked in the Top 25 nationally his first four seasons in total offense, including fifth last year at 485.4 yards/game. The Ranger defense has also vastly improved from 12th in the state in total defense in 2009 all the way up to third in 2010.
As they have been the previous three seasons, Northwest is again ranked in the NJCAA preseason poll at No. 11. The Rangers entered the 2011 season at No. 9, the 2010 season at No. 23 and the 2009 season ranked 19th. Everyone is keeping a close eye on Oct. 18 in Scooba where Northwest will battle with reigning national champions, East Mississippi. Woods is 3-8 all-time at Northwest versus ranked opponents, picking up wins at No. 2 Gulf Coast in 2009, at No. 13 Pearl River in 2010 and again the 8th-ranked Wildcats a season ago in an overtime thriller in Senatobia 56-55.
One of the most successful coaches in the history of Mississippi High School football, Woods posted a high school record of 213-43 (.832), including six state and 13 district championships. He joined Northwest after coaching the 2007 season at Bainbridge HS in Georgia, taking a team that went 5-6 the year before his arrival and leading them to the state quarterfinals and a final record of 9-4.
Woods is best known for his five seasons as head coach at South Panola High School, one of the Top 15 high school programs in the country year in and year out. A four-time Class 5A Coach of the Year and 2005 EA Sports and Clarion Ledger National Coach of the Year selection, Woods compiled a record of 74-1 at the helm of the Tigers, which included an unprecedented 60-game win streak from 2002-06. He also led South Panola to four consecutive Class 5A State Championships, with his teams ranking in the Top 10 every year according to USA Today.
Woods was also named Schutt Sports Southwest Region High School Coach of the Year in 2004 and was chosen Class 5A State Coach of the Year by the Mississippi Association of Coaches on four different occasions.
Before taking the job at South Panola, Woods was the head coach at Ackerman High School for six seasons from 1995-2001. He led Ackerman to Class 2A State Championships in 1997 and 2001 and state runner-up finishes in 1996 and 2000. He was chosen region Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2001 and district Coach of the Year in 1996 and 1999.
As head coach at Eupora High School for five seasons from 1990 through 1994, Woods earned district Coach of the Year honors in 1993.
Woods is a 1982 graduate of Mississippi State University, earning his bachelor’s degree in physical education. He is married to the former Susan Rhodes, and they have two sons, Stan and Thomas, a three-year-old grandson, Marshal, and the newest addition, a granddaughter, Elle (one month).
