WINSTON-SALEM – Winston-Salem State this week named Tory Woodbury as its next head football coach.

A distinguished WSSU alumnus and former student-athlete, Woodbury returns to his alma mater with a deep passion for the program and a proven record of leadership on and off the field. His accolades include his induction into the 2008 WSSU Hall of Fame and the 2016 CIAA Hall of Fame.

Woodbury is a former NFL quarterback who enjoyed an eight-year professional career. He played for the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills, as well as the Arena Football League’s New Orleans Voodoo and Carolina Speed.

Following his playing career, Woodbury transitioned into coaching in 2007 at Carver High School in Winston-Salem. He later served as assistant offensive/wide receivers coach at Garinger High School and coached wide receivers at West Mecklenburg High School.

Woodbury’s coaching résumé also includes significant experience at the professional and collegiate levels. He was an assistant quarterbacks coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, a scout and assistant special teams coach for the Los Angeles Rams, assistant offensive coordinator/running backs coach at Delaware State, offensive coordinator at Johnson C. Smith University, special teams coordinator at Howard University, and, most recently, assistant head coach and special teams coordinator at Norfolk State University.

“We had an exceptional pool of candidates, and this was not an easy decision. But it is time for us to restore the standard at WSSU, and coach Woodbury’s energy, expertise and unwavering passion for this institution clearly rose above the rest. He understands what Ram pride means, and he is ready to lead our program into a new era of excellence. We are excited about this next chapter, and we are ready to win,” WSSU Chancellor Bonita J. Brown said.