Danny Woodhead

FBC Wondrous Woodhead


By The Associated Press
November 01. 2006 5:16PM

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CHADRON, Neb. (AP) - Far from college football's bright lights, in the northwest corner of Nebraska, diminutive Danny Woodhead is quietly running through the record books for Chadron State.

Woodhead has piled up 5,694 yards rushing in 29 games for the Division II Eagles, an average of 196.3, and is on pace to become the most prolific rusher in college football history.

Barring injury or other unforeseen events, Woodhead has at least 12 more games to amass the 1,660 yards it would take for him to pass the all-time record of 7,353 yards by R.J. Bowers of Division III Grove City (Pa.) College from 1997-2000.

``Sometimes I do get surprised when I see the stat sheet,'' Woodhead said. ``I get my yards deceptively. I break some long ones. And then there are the ones that people don't notice. I have quite a few 10- to 20-yard runs that tend to add up.''

Woodhead has gone over 200 yards in six of nine games this season for the unbeaten Eagles, including two games over 300. He ran for a career-high 324 yards and four touchdowns against Wayne (Neb.) State. His low was 125 yards against Colorado Mines in a game in which he sat out much of the second half because his team was routing the Orediggers.

His averages of 231.5 yards rushing and 265.1 all-purpose yards are tops in the NCAA. He's a leading candidate for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II Heisman.

``Everybody knows he's going to carry the ball 30 times a game, and teams can't stop him,'' Colorado Mines coach Bob Stitt said. ``It's almost a joke: If he doesn't get 200 yards, it's like he's had a bad game.''

Doubters contend Woodhead is putting up big numbers against light competition in a conference - the Rocky Mountain Athletic - where members aren't allowed to fund football to the D-II maximum 36 scholarships.

Still, he has run for more than 300 yards four times in his career. He's gone over 200 yards on 11 other occasions.

His biggest stage was a September victory at I-AA Montana State, where he ran for 215 yards. Montana State is the same team that made national headlines for beating the Big 12's Colorado this year.

``He wanted to show everybody he was capable of doing those things against a Division I team,'' offensive lineman Jared Lee said. ``We could tell by the way he was running. He had fire in his (tail). He wanted to get it done.''

Woodhead, like other small-college stars, has a knock on him that kept him from playing Division I.

Woodhead's is his size. He's listed at 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds.

Woodhead said he uses his lack of height to his advantage.

``I would rather by 5-7 and a half, 5-8 than be 5-10, 5-11,'' he said. ``It's tough on linebackers to see me over a big line.''

Chadron coach Bill O'Boyle compares Woodhead's shifty running style to that of NFL great Barry Sanders. Opposing coaches tout Woodhead's vision, leg strength, 4.43-second speed in the 40 and ability to make huge gains after initial contact. He also is a dangerous receiver.

Defenses have employed linebackers and safeties as ``spies'' whose only assignment was to shadow Woodhead.

``You can try all that, and nothing works,'' said Joe Ramunno, who saw Woodhead run for 205 yards against his Mesa (Colo.) State team last week. ``You know he's going to get the ball, but he has such burst. We missed three tackles on one play, and he had an 80-yard touchdown.''

Woodhead grew up in North Platte, Neb., and had hoped to play for the home-state Cornhuskers. But former coach Frank Solich, himself a 5-8 running back for Nebraska in the 1960s, told Woodhead that he was too small and asked him to walk on with the opportunity to return kicks.

Woodhead said he was crushed and found it curious that Solich did recruit a 5-6 running back, Cory Ross, who would become the team's leading rusher under Bill Callahan in 2004 and '05.

With no Division I offers in hand, he headed for Chadron. His mom and dad, Annette and Mark Woodhead, attended the school, and his brother Ben played receiver for the Eagles.

``It's a whole different world out here,'' Chadron coach Bill O'Boyle said. ``It's a place you pass through when you're on your way to vacation in the Black Hills (of South Dakota).''

Denver is 250 miles to the southwest, Omaha is 400 miles to the east. There's not much else in between but ranches, farmland and lots of cattle.

The facilities are Spartan. The Eagles' practice field is carved out of a pine-dotted hillside. Sprinklers were turned on to save the field - and campus - from July wildfires.

On a recent afternoon, two people strode up to the field on horseback to watch Woodhead and his teammates practice.

The program has enjoyed success, reaching the Division II playoffs four times since 1996. It's best-known alum is Don Beebe, who played receiver for the Buffalo Bills and won a Super Bowl ring with the Green Bay Packers. Chadron's stadium is named after him, in fact.

Woodhead said he enjoys the solitude of Chadron, where he's the town's biggest celebrity.

The disappointment of not playing for the Huskers has long worn off. He's found contentment playing football in the hinterlands. He's fast to credit his linemen for his success, and he puts his run at the all-time rushing record behind his desire to win.

``If the numbers come, they come,'' he said.

 

how many black backs are "plenty big enough" when they are 5'8"? lots of 'em! but a white guy is too short at the same height.

just like Wisconsin's freshman TB is plenty fast at 4.7+, because of his "physical, bruising running style." but when a white guy runs like that, he's "waaaay too slow" and "would be a great fullback."

no matter what a white back has, he's always going to be "too something..."

 

If there is video, it would be nice to see, the numbers suggest NFL potential.

 

Woodhead grew up in North Platte, Neb., and had hoped to play for the home-state Cornhuskers. But former coach Frank Solich, himself a 5-8 running back for Nebraska in the 1960s, told Woodhead that he was too small and asked him to walk on with the opportunity to return kicks.

Woodhead said he was crushed and found it curious that Solich did recruit a 5-6 running back, Cory Ross, who would become the team's leading rusher under Bill Callahan in 2004 and '05.


That about says it all I guess Solich did not have the balls to tell him it was because he was white.

 

that is quite an indictment of NEB.

 

And Solich is long gone. I'm sure the alums hope he didn't let the door hit him in the ass on his way out.

 

Solichis a good coach and NEB has done no better since he left. Edited by: bigman

 

Another back to watch (hopefully) in Chadron is redshirt freshman James Edwards. He passed Chance Kretchmers Nevada state rushing rushing record when he was junior in high school. He only added another near 2500 yards in his senior year.

I don't think he has played this year, but it sounds like as long as Woodhead is playing, there isn't much chance of that. Edwards is bigger by a little bit, 5'10" and a little heavier.

Of course, being caucasian, he never got a look from the Div 1A schools out there, though a couple of the black superstars from the Las Vegas schools got scholarships like OU.

 

Typical Caste System discrimination. Edited by: JD074

 

Yeah I mean Solich is running a pretty white program over at Ohio U so I mean come on you can't be too hard on the guy. Also I'd like to point out how in the article the coach actually compred him to Barry Sanders. It's not exactly the Barry Sanders comparison there that got me but rather how he actually compared a white player to a black player. The coach just as easily could have, like 99% of the population would do, some how compare him to a white player but concisously choose not to. That takes balls becuase so often in our media and in public or private we always go with comparing players of the same race even though in reality they play like a player of a different race.

 

that article is very daring on a few counts... first, the fact that it breaches the subject at all is shocking. second, it quotes a coach who favorably compares a white player to a famous black one.

third, and this one is truly revolutionary, it accurately addresses factual evidence that illustrates the double standard that Danny dealt with during the recruiting process. the article didn't go so far as to say it was a "white" issue, but it went further than any articles that i've read in the past were willing to go.

with more reporting like this, the caste system would be very difficult to maintain...

 

Couldn't find a video, but in reading some of his background he holds the career record in Nebraska for yards and touchdowns. His senior year he had over 2,000 rushing yards and 31 TDs. He was also the states leading scorer in basketball with an average of 26 points a game and was voted male athlete of the year by at least two major newspapers - in high school. No scholarship for you whitey!

 

here's an article from his freshman year, the week of October 17, done by CSTV regarding Danny's play as a freshman with some interesting comparisons concerning the alleged reason for his not going Division I...

here's a link to his player bio which includes more details documenting his phenomenal talents.


Danny doing his thing

and some info as of 8 hours ago...

Danny Woodhead

 

He is a player to root for and cheer for. Nice to see he has loyalty to the program as well, continuing the tradition of his father, uncles and brothers.

 

Chadron State plays today in the Division II playoffs...

 

Jimmy, Danny Woodhead became the all-division NCAA single season rushing leader with 2,740 yards on his 252 yard, 4 TD performance today! Chadron State won 43-17 today and will play at Northwest Missouri State next week in the quarterfinals of the Division 2 playoffs. Simply unreal! I hope they win it all.

 

Amazing. He puts up friggin' superhuman numbers, and he'll probably never see the light of day in the NFL . Unless things change, of course.

If he were black, every caste-system pundit and supporter would be swinging from his manhood like tarzan and calling him the next NFL superstar.

The double standard is so blatently obvious, that I'm laughing myself mad. (Think how Dr. Evil from Austin Powers laughs).

 

i think he might get an invite to combine, some team will sign him but then it will be 1) practice squad and 2) cut and forgotten about

 

Here's a couple of articles I just found on Danny breaking the record. Danny is listed as 5-9 200 and will have next year to add to his totals. The first is from D2football.com.

Woodhead Breaks Rushing Record
The Associated Press

Danny Woodhead set an NCAA all-division record for rushing yards in a season and scored four touchdowns in Chadron State's 43-17 victory Saturday over West Texas A&M in the second round of the Division II playoffs.

Woodhead ran for 252 yards to raise his season total to 2,740, passing the mark of 2,653 set by Kavin Gailliard of American International in 1999.


This is from the Houston Chronicle
College Sports
Nov. 25, 2006, 9:12PM
Chadron State RB breaks rushing record
© 2006 The Associated Press
CHADRON, Neb. â€â€￾ Danny Woodhead set an NCAA all-division record for rushing yards in a season and scored four touchdowns in Chadron State's 43-17 victory Saturday over West Texas A&M in the second round of the Division II playoffs.

Woodhead ran for 252 yards to raise his season total to 2,740, passing the mark of 2,653 set by Kavin Gailliard of American International in 1999.

Woodhead and the Eagles (12-0) travel to Northwest Missouri State for the quarterfinals.

Chadron erased a 17-12 halftime deficit after recovering a fumble by Buffaloes' quarterback Dalton Bell on the opening series of the second half. The Eagles went up 19-12 on Tyler Hidrogo's short touchdown pass to Woodhead.

The TD started a 31-point second-half outburst by the Eagles.

Bell finished with 178 yards passing and two touchdowns for the Buffs (11-2), who set a school record for wins.

West Texas A&M safety Darnell Johnson recovered a Woodhead fumble on the second play from scrimmage, and Bell threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Shaun Scott-Jones for a 7-0 lead.

Woodhead's 22-yard run on Chadron's next series capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive.

The Buffs went up 17-7 on Bell's 2-yard pass to Charly Martin and Jon Roberts' 29-yard field goal.

Travis Atter's 35-yard field goal pulled Chadron to 17-10, and it was a five-point game at half after the Eagles recorded a safety.Edited by: Colonel_Reb

 

As a former WTSU Buff, I'd like to thank you all for reminding me of Woodhead's performance yesterday. Sheesh.

Good luck to him. I hope he makes it into the NFL and has a great career.

 

Colonel, i had thought Danny was a senior this year, and that this is his last go around. he's simply phenomenal. his coaches repeatedly tout his ability to break tackles and pick up yards after contact, as well as his 4.43 speed. DraftDaddy linked another article on Danny, and i'll post some excerpts from it below...



Chadron State tailback Danny Woodhead runs by a West Texas A&M defender. Woodhead had another spectacular day with 252 yards and on 35 carries. He also had four touchdowns

notice that nearly ALL the lower division records are held by white athletes. hmmm...

 

I would love to see this guy play. I hope Chadron State makes it to TV sometime soon.

 

Chadron State, led by the amazing Danny Woodhead, plays Northwest in the Division II quarterfinals on Saturday. Northwest's head coach must not haver gotten the memo that white tailbacks aren't any good, because he gives Danny a ton of respect. it will be an interesting match-up...

 

Danny Woodhead can't even get respect from D-2 writers.


he didn't make the list of the so-called best 15"pro prospects"in Division II, despite the fact two other running backs did.


http://www.d2football.com/prohopefuls/


for those who haven't heard of Danny...

Edited by: Jimmy Chitwood

 

more Woodhead news. it's the standard package,complete with his coach boasting of his fluidity, speed, durability, while the writer downplays his chances at the next level...

sidenote: RJ Bowers, the other runner mentioned in the Article displayed tremendous agility and speed for a runner his size, but despite showing vast potential in both a college all-star game versus D-I talent, and inlimited opportunitieswith the Steelers, Bowers was able to do little more than block for a few plays before being purged from the NFL.