Emotional Day For Dukes' Woods

HARRISONBURG — There wasn’t any need to take out the camera.

To stop and take a photo would have only disrupted the moment that James Madison senior running back Taylor Woods, his father, Wilbert Woods Jr., and his grandfather, Wilbert Woods Sr., were living in.

“The last thing on my mind was to take a picture,” Wilbert Woods Jr. said. “It’s that moment, that time and it was special.”

For 21 years Wilbert Woods Jr. waited for this. And on a blistery, but sunny, college football Saturday in Kingston, R.I., it happened for the first time.

Taylor Woods met his grandfather, Wilbert Woods Sr., for the first time this past weekend after rushing for 75 yards on 12 carries to help the top-ranked Dukes take down Rhode Island 38-3.

“My grandfather actually called me during the week and said, ‘Hey, I’m going to come to the game,’” Taylor Woods said. “I thought ‘OK, I get to finally meet him.’”

JMU’s downhill rusher and his grandfather had spoken over the phone in the past, but due to the distance, they never had the opportunity to connect in person.

Wilbert Woods Jr. said his father moved to Providence, R.I., when he was young. Over the years, as the relationship between the two strengthened, most of Wilbert Woods Jr.’s sons had met the elder Woods.

All but Taylor.

Taylor Woods’ hometown is Havelock, N.C. And his three brothers had met their grandfather.

“It was new, but then again, I wanted to ball out in front of him,” Taylor Woods said. “It was good to see him and, for the first time, finally meet him.”

Taylor Woods’ father said he taught his kids the importance of family and that Taylor understood it. So even if he had trepidation about meeting his grandfather, it would likely subside.

“It’s deep,” Wilbert Woods Jr. said. “This was the first time that my father physically saw his grandchild and Taylor had a lot of questions. And as a parent, you try to lighten it up as much as you can.

“But the experience of just seeing him and seeing each other, it was a Kodak moment and I was so excited for that situation to happen for my son that I didn’t even take a picture, you know, because sometimes it’s the gesture and the things that you see.”

On the 12-hour drive from North Carolina to Rhode Island, Wilbert Woods Jr. was anxious, but spoke to his wife, Elizabeth, Taylor’s mom, about this meeting that took 21 years to happen, he said.

He said he’s prayed about it.

“My other grandfather, my mom’s dad, passed away two years ago,” Taylor Woods said. “His birthday is actually November 9, so this month, for me, has just been tough because I’m thinking about him.

“Plus, meeting my other grandfather for the first time, it’s made it tough. But I think I’ve been handling it well, so it gave me energy. I’ve been praying on it and God let me have a great game that day, and I know my grandfather up in heaven was looking over me, too.”

For most of the season, Taylor Woods has been used in a variety of ways by second-year JMU coach Mike Houston.

The 5-foot-9, 197-pounder has carried the ball, caught the ball, played as a wildcat quarterback and has even seen action on special teams. But it wasn’t until Saturday’s contest against the Rams that he became the offense’s feature back.

Junior running back Marcus Marshall missed the game due to an injury and junior running back Trai Sharp was limited to 13 yards and a touchdown on six carries.

“It was a good game for [his grandfather] to come to,” Houston said. “Taylor is playing as good as he’s played since we’ve been here, so that’s good timing.”

Woods said he stays ready for his opportunity.

“I always am prepared because you never know when your name is going to be called,” he said. “I mean for me, Trai and Marcus, we all can be the number one back.

“It’s a 1-2-3 punch, so it’s always good to have that. One person can have a bad game and one of us can have a good game, so it’s whoever [is] hot that [running backs] coach [De’Rail] Sims will put in.”

The extreme emotions won’t stop for the Woods family, Taylor Woods said. With senior day on Saturday, his parents will be in Harrisonburg for the Dukes’ senior ceremony and the 3:30 p.m. contest against rival Richmond.

Both Woods and his father said JMU was the best place for the running back to go to school and that they’re glad the grandfather was able to see Woods at his best.

“It made Taylor’s day because when he knew that his grandfather was watching him, that young man was playing with bad intentions,” Wilbert Woods Jr. said. “He went out there and probably had one of the best games that he had played all year.”