Sports: Wood accepts pro job

Preps

Wood accepts pro job

The Wharton coach and former Bucs linebacker will be a defensive line coach for NFL Europe.

By EMILY NIPPS, Times Staff Writer

TAMPA -- Less than a month after leading Wharton to the Class 5A state final, head coach Richard "Batman" Wood is chasing another dream.

Wood has accepted a job with NFL Europe as a defensive line coach for the Frankfurt Galaxy. He has not yet resigned from his position as a security officer for Hillsborough County's Alternative Education Center, nor has he resigned as Wharton's coach. "I've always been up front about my aspirations to coach at the pro level," Wood said. "This is an opportunity that I can't let go."

Wood is planning to ask for a leave of absence beginning with the Galaxy's first practice in mid February, and NFL Europe's season continues through June. He will spend part of the year overseas and the rest with his family in Tampa.

After playing in the NFL for 10 years, including nine as a Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker, Wood retired in 1985. Hoping for a full-time pro or college coaching job, Wood worked several different jobs, including one season as an assistant with the Munich Cowboys in 1997.

Wood took over at Wharton in 1998 and led the struggling second-year program from a 1-9 season to a surprising 13-2 mark in 2002. Wharton lost to Pompano Beach Ely in the state championship game in Tallahassee.

"His personal experiences on the field gave credibility to everything he said and did as a coach," Wharton athletic director Lanness Robinson said. "He's going to be hard to replace."

Robinson said once Wood gives an official resignation, the school will likely begin advertising the coaching position. Wood is awaiting paperwork to sign, which will make his new job official.

"I'm really going to miss being with the kids," Wood said. "I'll have to talk to them (Wharton administrators) and see what kind of options we have. I'm sure they will be able find a real good coach."