Former NFL star Tory Woodbury is making his return to his alma mater to become the head football coach of Winston-Salem State University. Per reports from HBCU Gameday and Football Scoop, Woodbury is set to assume the role, departing his position as Special Teams Coordinator on Michael Vick's Norfolk State coaching staff.
Football Scoop reported that Woodbury has already been introduced to the team as the institution's new head football coach. HBCU Gameday confirmed the selection, noting that final approval for his hire will be conducted during Winston-Salem State's December 5th Board of Trustees meeting.
Woodbury graduated from Winston-Salem State in 2001, where he saw immense success. He led the Rams to back-to-back CIAA championships, putting up stellar numbers by throwing for over 4,500 yards and rushing for over 1,000 yards, while scoring 60 touchdowns during his college career.
His immense talents eventually led him to a storied career in the NFL, where he played for the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, and New York Jets before transitioning full-time into coaching. In the 2024 season, Woodbury served as the Tight Ends Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Howard University. This past season, he joined Michael Vick's coaching staff at Norfolk State in the same coordinator role. He was also named a Bill Walsh Diversity Fellow for the second time this past summer.
Woodbury takes over a Winston-Salem State program that has a proud athletic tradition but has struggled in football over the past few seasons. He is set to replace Robert Massey, who stepped down after six seasons. This year, Winston-Salem State finished with a 4-6 overall record and a dismal 2-5 conference record. Woodbury's charge will be to restore the program to its former dominance at the Division II level, 13 years removed from making the national championship game.
