History already has been made for Widener University’s football team with David Wood on the sidelines. He will look to add on to that in his fifth season as head coach.
Serving as a player, assistant coach or head coach over 19 of the last 20 years, Wood has helped shape the mold of one of the area’s top programs. The latest chapter was written last season when the Pride (7-4) won the ECAC Southwest Bowl, marking the first time the program won postseason championships in consecutive years.
The only alum in the 126-year history of the program to coach the football team, Wood has amassed a 26-16 record during his time with 21 victories over the last three years. Among that included the 2005 season, which the squad went undefeated at home (5-0) and won the ECAC South Atlantic Bowl for the program’s first postseason title since 1981.
His likeable personality and strong leadership skills have helped him carve a niche on the Chester campus. This has helped pave the way for bigger and better things to occur down the road. With plenty of resources at his disposal, Wood has the program headed in the right direction.
The 21st coach in school history, Wood is in his second season as the Middle Atlantic Conference’s NCAA representative. Wood also for the second time participated in Pete Carroll’s USC Football Camp.
Wood recently added a major notch to his resume, being named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III All-America Team Selection Committee.
Wood is a two-time MAC All-Star, receiving citations as a Champion USA Division III All-American and GTE Academic All-District player as a senior. He helped Widener to its second straight MAC pass defense title and a No. 12 Division III statistical ranking in 1990.
After graduation, Wood was an assistant coach for the squad working with the defensive backs, running backs, linebackers and special teams from 1991-1995. He spent 1996 as the running backs coach at Division I-AA powerhouse Lehigh University before returning to Widener in 1997 as defensive coordinator.
In his role as defensive coordinator, the team has been one of the best units in the country against the run. The defense in 1998 led the nation in allowing just 31.4 yards per game on the ground. The rushing defense enjoyed consecutive top six national rankings in rushing defense, with the last coming in 2002 with a mark of 73.4 yards per game. During the 1998 season, the defense shattered the school record with 73 sacks and ranked seventh nationally in total defense after allowing 226.1 yards per game. Four different times that season, Widener held opponents to negative yards on the ground, including a school record minus-43 yards at Delaware Valley.
Wood also is the university’s head golf coach. Under his direction, the team enjoyed its highest mark in school history with a second-place finish in 2002. During that year, Jeff Flynn won the individual title at the MAC Championship and was subsequently named conference Player of the Year. He was Widener’s first conference champion in the sport.
Outside of Widener, Wood is a member of the National Register’s Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals and also is treasurer of the Delaware County Literacy Council Board of Directors.
A three-year defensive starter for the squad, Wood graduated from Widener in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and received a Master’s of Taxation degree from the University in 1993.
A native of Yeadon, Wood was one of Delaware County’s leading rushers with an average of 5.7 yards per carry at Penn Wood High School in 1986.
Wood resides in Boothwyn with his wife Deanna and sons David, 8, Matthew, 7, and C.J., 3, and newborn daughter Samantha.