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Top lineman now a Dragon

Donnie Woods, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound two-way starter for Pasco High and a first-team all-county selection, has transferred to Jefferson.

By JAMAL THALJI

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 26, 2001

DADE CITY -- One of Pasco County's best football players will play in Hillsborough County next season.

"I'll be at Jefferson next year," Pasco High lineman Donnie Woods said Monday.

A two-way starter since his freshman year, Woods said he plans to play his final two prep seasons for Jefferson. He is already enrolled there, taking a summer physical education class.

The 17-year-old junior said the decision was made for educational reasons. Jefferson has a special magnet program, the International Academy of Finance, that has already accepted Woods. The Pasco County school district had to agree to release Woods so he could transfer out of county.

But football was also a factor. Woods, after all, was a 6-foot-5, 275-pound sophomore and a Times All-Pasco County first-team offensive tackle. He leaves a Pasco program that hasn't made the playoffs since 1998 for a playoff powerhouse. He could also blossom into one of the area's top collegiate prospects.

"There's just a lot of things Jefferson has to offer," Woods said, "and I think my decision is probably the best decision."

"I really don't like to comment on players when they leave," Pasco coach Ricky Thomas said. "I will say this about Donnie, he did a good job for me for two years. He's such an outstanding kid. I just wish him all the best.

"I'll leave it at that."

At Jefferson, Woods will be reunited with brother Brian, a former Pasco assistant football coach and track coach. Brian Woods was recently hired as the Dragons' quarterback and secondary coach by head coach Mike Simmonds.

"I don't know a whole lot about him as a football player," Simmonds said. "He was injured, I recall, when we played Pasco last year.

"I do know he's accepted and enrolled here at Jefferson and he does a good job in my class. He's pretty big and he's just a junior and that's good because you'd like to have time to help develop the players for a few years."

Donnie Woods will also join Dade City's Matt Glavich, the Dragons' quarterback who was a Class 3A honorable mention last season. Brian Woods was Glavich's coach when the quarterback played for the Pasco junior varsity in 1998.

Donnie Woods said no one associated with Jefferson -- including his brother -- influenced his choice. He said he and his parents decided Jefferson would best prepare him academically for college.

"My whole family sat down among ourselves and decided this would be a better thing for me and for the family," Woods said.

Brian Woods said he's not the reason his brother transferred.

"I didn't have any influence," he said.

"I'll be honest, I'm sure the whole coaching staff at Pasco High thinks I had a big influence.

"But I think Coach Thomas has enough class to understand it is good to be with family, and though I won't be coaching Donnie, I do enjoy being with him."

In addition to academics and family, Brian Woods said his brother will also benefit on the football field. "The situation down at Jefferson is definitely appealing to someone of Donnie's talent level," Brian Woods said. "Because you have two excellent offensive line coaches in (former Tampa Bay Buccaneer) Mike Simmonds and (former Tampa Catholic coach) Bob Henriquez. Those are two of the best O-line coaches in the area.

"(Donnie) works his butt off, and he wants to be the best he can be. He wants to go to college, he wants to be polished and be in a position to challenge someone his freshman year for a starting job."

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