When the Cowboys face Washington State on Qwest Field today at 2:30 p.m. Oklahoma time, it will mark the first time Woods has played in a game since the 2006 Independence Bowl.
On Friday the 13th in June of 2007, a freakish weightlifting accident left Woods with a cracked vertebra.
Not only was returning to football a long shot for Woods, there was a chance he might not walk again.
A whole lot of pain and suffering went into rehab, plus a whole lot of prayer.
"I knew God was going to get me back to this point sooner or later,” Woods said.
OSU receivers coach Trooper Taylor freely admits he was protective of Woods, especially last spring, when Taylor did all he could to keep Woods away from danger.
"I didn't put him through as many reps, and I had him in that green jersey,” Taylor said. "I wanted him running a route that was on the outside, not across the middle.”
Woods' unwavering desire for a complete comeback ended Taylor's coddling earlier this month, toward the end of two-a-day practices.
"He didn't want sympathy,” Taylor said. "I had to turn him loose, at his request.”
On the road to recovery, Woods asked no favors.
"I'm just a normal football player like everybody else, and that's how I want to be treated by our defense,” Woods said. "I don't want our defense thinking, ‘OK, this dude had back surgery. Let's take it easy on him.' That's not what the (WSU) defense is going to think.”
Woods fully intends on catching some passes against the Cougars.
What if he scores a touchdown?
"I'll probably cry,” Woods said.
So will several other people.
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To quote the movie Full Metal Jacket.... "The kid's got guts, and guts is enough!" I hope he has an exceptional career both during, and after football as well. This kid's gonna be a winner in the game of life.
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