TJ Woods, who has 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, serves as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Georgia Southern offense. Woods comes to Statesboro after two seasons as the UNLV offensive line coach where he added the title of co-offensive coordinator in 2022.
From 2021 to 2022, when Woods was the co-coordinator, the Rebels averaged nearly six more points per game. He mentored center Leif Fautanu to all-conference honors as the Rebels scored 18 rushing touchdowns and produced a 1,000-yard rusher for the second consecutive season.
Prior to UNLV, Woods was Utah State’s offensive line coach in 2019, where he helped four offensive players earn all-Mountain West honors. Furthermore, USU’s offense set school records in passes completed (315) and attempted (504), while its 3,628 passing yards are the second-most.
Before returning to Utah State, Woods spent the 2018 season as the line coach at Western Kentucky. From the 2017 to 2018 season, Western Kentucky’s rushing yards per game improved by 75.98, eighth-best nationally, and its yards per carry increased by 1.72, fifth-best nationally. Furthermore, WKU allowed 16 fewer sacks in 2018 as compared to 2017, the 10th-best improvement in the nation.
The move to WKU followed a three-year stint at Oregon State, where he coached four linemen to All-PAC-12 honors and saw two of his linemen - Sean Harlow (Atlanta Falcons 2017 fourth round) and Isaac Seumalo (Philadelphia Eagles 2016 third round) - drafted into the NFL. Under Woods’ direction, the Oregon State offense carried the ball for a school-record 5.2 yards per carry in 2016. Furthermore, seven of his offensive linemen were named to the PAC-12 Conference All-Academic team during his time in Corvallis.
Prior to Oregon State, Woods served as the offensive line coach at Wisconsin, where his group helped block for running back Melvin Gordon in 2014, when he won the Doak Walker Award and was a Heisman Trophy finalist. That season, Gordon rushed for 2,587 yards, second-most in a single season in FBS history, and set then-FBS single-game rushing record with 408 yards.
Behind Woods’ offensive line, Gordon and fellow running back Corey Clement set the NCAA record for rushing by two backs with 3,536 yards. That 2014 season also saw the Badger offensive front set a school record for fewest sacks allowed with 13, as well as a Big Ten Conference record with 4,482 net rushing yards.
In his first season with Wisconsin in 2013, the Badgers set a then-school record with 3,689 rushing yards, to go along with a school record 450.8 yards per game of total offense. With Woods’ offensive line leading the way, Gordon and fellow running back James White became the first running backs in NCAA history to each eclipse 1,400 rushing yards in the same season.
In all, Woods mentored seven All-Big Ten players at Wisconsin, including four All-Americans, highlighted by Rob Havenstein, who was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Before Wisconsin, Woods spent four years at Utah State (2009-12), including the final two directing the offensive line. The Aggies rewrote the offensive record books by setting then-school records for total offense in consecutive seasons, concluding with 6,108 yards in 2012.
Woods coached five players to All-Western Athletic Conference honors, including Tyler Larsen and Philip Gapelu in 2011. Larsen, who earned second-team All-America honors as a senior in 2013, is now a six-year NFL veteran having spent the past four seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
A former player at Azusa Pacific (2001-02) as well as Iowa State and Citrus Junior College, where he earned NJCAA All-American honors in 1999, Woods got his coaching start as a graduate assistant at Azusa Pacific in 2003.
After a two-year run as the school’s tight ends coach, where he coached Ricky Burgan to NAIA All-American honors, he spent a season coaching the offensive line at Citrus before going to New Mexico for two seasons to serve as a graduate assistant on the offensive line. Offensive lineman Eric Cook was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft, while Byron Bell was named a freshman All-American in 2008.
Woods and his wife Kelly have two daughters, Madison and McKenzie. A 2002 graduate from Azusa Pacific with a business degree, Woods continued to pursue his education and earned his Master’s in physical education from Azusa Pacific in 2005.
THE WOODS FILE
Personal
Hometown: San Dimas, Calif.
Born: Born: Dec. 2, 1980 in Upland, Calif.
College: Azusa Pacific (2002; 2005)
Family: wife, Kelly; daughters, Madison, McKenzie
Playing Experience
Azusa Pacific (2001-02)
Iowa State (2000)
Citrus JC (1999)
Coaching Experience
2023-: Georgia Southern (offensive line/run game coordinator)
2022: UNLV (offensive line/Co-offensive coordinator)
2021: UNLV (offensive line)
2019: Utah State (offensive line)
2018: Western Kentucky (offensive line)
2017: Oregon State (OL/run game coordinator)
2016: Oregon State (offensive line/TE/Co-OC)
2015: Oregon State (offensive line)
2013-14: Wisconsin (offensive line)
2011-12: Utah State (offensive line)
2009-10: Utah State (tight ends/special teams)
2007-08: New Mexico (G.A.)
2006: Citrus JC (offensive line/run game coordinator)
2004-05: Azusa Pacific (tight ends)
2003: Azusa Pacific (G.A.)
College Bowl/Postseason Experience
Coach
2019: Frisco (Utah State vs. Kent State)
2014: Outback (Wisconsin vs. Auburn)
2013: Capital One (Wisconsin vs. South Carolina)
2012 Idaho Potato (Utah State vs. Toledo)
2011: Idaho Potato (Utah State vs. Ohio)
2007: New Mexico (New Mexico vs. Nevada)
2005: NAIA Championship Series (Azusa Pacific)
2004: NAIA Championship Series (Azusa Pacific)
2003: NAIA Championship Series (Azusa Pacific)
Player
2000: Insight.com (Iowa State vs. Pitt)
Prominent Pupils
Byron Bell (OL) - Carolina Panthers
Beau Benzschawel (OL) - Detroit Lions
Blake Brandel (OL) - Minnesota Vikings
Eric Cook (OL) - Washington Redskins
Michael Deiter (OL) - Miami Dolphins
Ryan Groy (OL) - Buffalo Bills
Sean Harlow (OL) - Arizona Cardinals
Rob Havenstein (OL) - Los Angeles Rams
Tyler Larsen (OL) - Washington Commanders
Tyler Marz (OL) - Carolina Panthers
Isaac Seumalo (OL) - Philadelphia Eagles
