FSU football makes it official, announces Marcus Woodson as new DBs coach
The Florida State football coaching staff is finalized and full once again. Days after newly hired defensive backs coach T.J. Rushing left for Texas A&M, the Seminoles have announced the hiring of new DBs coach Marcus Woodson.
The hiring was reported by Warchant and other outlets earlier this week, but FSU made it official on Saturday.
Here is the release from Florida State:
Marcus Woodson has been named Florida State’s defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator, head coach Mike Norvell announced Saturday.
“I’m fired up to announce the addition of Marcus Woodson to the Seminole football family,” Norvell said. “Marcus is not only a tremendous coach in regards to development and schematic insight, but he is one of the best men I’ve ever worked with. He coaches from the heart and does an incredible job building relationships with everyone he comes in contact with. This is a wonderful trait that allows him to be a dynamic recruiter. Being from the Gulf Coast of Mississippi as well as having a wealth of experience recruiting the southern portion of the country, he is a home run for our program.”
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Woodson, who has spent the last two seasons as Auburn’s defensive backs coach and added recruiting coordinator duties for 2019, reunites with Norvell after coaching on his Memphis staff in 2016 and 2017. Woodson has also previously coached at multiple stops with FSU offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham and running backs coach David Johnson.
“I’m grateful for the chance to reunite with Coach Norvell and join the rest of the staff at a championship program,” Woodson said. “As a child, I dreamed of playing at Florida State so having this opportunity to coach here is literally a dream come true. This program has a great history and tradition, and there is an established standard that has been set for all of us that follow. I look forward to helping our players achieve their dreams and goals at the highest level through hard work and discipline.”
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Woodson helped Auburn win 17 games, including five over ranked opponents, in his two seasons. In 2019, the Tigers won nine games and advanced to the Outback Bowl behind a defense that ranked eighth in the nation in third-down defense and red zone defense, allowing conversions on 29.9 percent of third-down attempts and 71.8 percent of red zone trips. Safety Jeremiah Dinson earned second-team All-SEC honors after posting the conference’s eighth-highest average with 7.3 tackles per game.
The Tigers returned three interceptions for touchdowns in 2018, the ninth-highest total in the country, and ranked 14th nationally in scoring defense by allowing an average of 19.2 points per game. Auburn’s nine rushing touchdowns allowed were the second-lowest total in the SEC and tied for the fifth-lowest total in the NCAA. The defense also ranked in the top-20 nationally with 96 tackles for loss and 38 sacks. Their season culminated with the fewest points allowed in a Music City Bowl since 2009 courtesy of a 63-14 win over Purdue.
Woodson joined Auburn after two seasons coaching Memphis’ defensive backs. Memphis won 18 games during those two seasons and forced a combined 60 takeaways, the second-highest total in the nation over that span. The Tigers made 32 interceptions over those two seasons and were one of only six teams nationally to grab at least 16 interceptions in both 2016 and 2017.
In 2017, Woodson tutored T.J. Carter to Freshman All-America recognition from ESPN and USA Today. Carter also was the conference’s Rookie of the Year after breaking Memphis’ freshman record with five interceptions. In only his second collegiate game, Carter ended a fourth-quarter UCLA drive that had advanced inside the red zone with an interception of Josh Rosen to help secure Memphis’ 48-45 victory.
Prior to joining the Memphis staff, Woodson coached defensive backs at Fresno State for two seasons. He helped lead the Bulldogs to the 2014 Mountain West Conference Championship Game and a berth in the Hawai’i Bowl and also tutored safety Derron Smith, who would be a first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. The 2015 team ranked second in the conference and 20th in the nation with 11 fumble recoveries.
From 2009-13, Woodson coached defensive backs and was the recruiting coordinator at Charleston Southern, tutoring five all-conference defensive backs. He also added defensive passing game coordinator duties for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Charleston Southern finished the 2013 season with a school-record 10 wins and No. 22 final ranking.
Woodson began his coaching career at Millsaps College, where he was the defensive backs coach while Johnson was also on staff. The duo combined to help lead the Majors to three consecutive SCAC championships, including an 11-1 record and No. 12 final ranking in 2008. Woodson coached four all-conference defensive backs while at Millsaps.
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Woodson played safety at Ole Miss, starting for two seasons before having his playing career cut short by an injury prior to his senior season. He was part of teams that advanced to four bowl games, including the Cotton Bowl, the Music City Bowl and two trips to the Independence Bowl. He came to Ole Miss after helping lead his high school to two Mississippi state championships.
A native of Moss Point, Mississippi, Woodson earned his bachelor’s degree in political science with an emphasis in criminal justice from Ole Miss in 2003 and was selected for the Senior Leadership Unity Council.
Woodson and his wife, Chastity, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University New Orleans and a master’s degree from Howard University, have two sons, Carter and Bryce.
Marcus Woodson Coaching History
2020-Florida State Defensive Backs Coach/Defensive Passing Game Coordinator
2019-Auburn Defensive Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2018-Auburn Defensive Backs Coach
2016-17-Memphis Defensive Backs Coach
2014-15-Fresno State Defensive Backs Coach
2012-13-Charleston Southern Defensive Backs Coach/Defensive Passing Game Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator
2009-11-Charleston Southern Defensive Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2005-08-Millsaps College Defensive Backs Coach
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