Player Spotlight: Richard Wood

WOOD.USCI’m not going to say linebacker Richard Wood (83) was underappreciated even though when there used to be a committee to pick the USC Hall of Fame, I constantly had to bring his name up to lobby for his inclusion. Eventually Wood made it. He was USC’s first three-time All-American. And he also made the College Football Hall of Fame.

So he’s worth a moment of appreciation. Plus any time there is a color picture, it’s worth looking at here. That’s defensive tackle Art Riley (70) also in the picture.

27 thoughts on “Player Spotlight: Richard Wood

  1. Scott, I NEVER heard you bring up Batman. I WAS there for several of the nominations AND vote. I’m calling BS.

        • Jimmy Jones was the first true 3 year starter for any major football program in the USA. He was ‘lights out’ his 2nd (sophmore) year (1969) the ‘Cardiac Kids’ year.

          I had him in a class for two weeks until he chose to ‘drop’ – Biology for non-science majors in VKC – great class Jimmy should have hanged – we got a front row view of the apiary over in Hancock.

          Jimmy blazed a path nationally for every other African-American qb – a full three years as USC’s QB.

          • I didnt say that.

            I actually raise my eyebrows on him being named to the Hall of Fame as he was not a top 10 USC QB. I beieve the USC Hall of Fame standards should be raised a bit. There are a few others Im not sure should be there.

          • Jones was a dog S QB. Mike Rae saved his rear end in the ND game in 71. Even Coach Fertig agreed.

          • Yeah but you know funny thing about that is USC won the 1970 – you know the year that fraud ‘Thays-mann’ chose to change the pronunciation of his last name to ‘Thys-mann’….the rain – a USC team coming in at 5-4 -1 and the Irish at 9-0 —- the ‘tie’ was against bel-air tech the week before – you had to be there – Parshegian thought it was 1964 all over again – it was but this time even worst.

            As to ucla – my – sucla – anyone care to dig up what their sorry backends gave birth to?

          • I would not call him a dog S QB either. He was a Trojan QB who provided us with great memories. He was a gentleman of a guy. Well respected.

        • I agree, Mike Rae was much more deserving, but he won in such a dominant fashion it was like watching a factory work. Jones and the Cardiac Kids captured the fancy of the nation with their improbable wins like the last second win over Jim Plunkett and the Indians.

      • I remember he took a bet that he couldn’t bash his head through his dorm room wall – he won the bet.

      • I remember he took a bet that he couldn’t bash his head through his dorm room wall – he won the bet.

  2. 69 was a good year, undefeated, but Jimmy Jones frustrated the Trojans’ fans the entire game until the very end when he completed 4 passes in a row, the final one for a td that won the game 14-12.
    And in typical SUCLA style they complained about the td.
    Richard Wood was one of the four linemen who made up the ‘Wild Bunch.’ They were great collectively in ’69

    • And they complained about the pass interference that set up the touchdown bomb. Losers always blame the refs.

  3. A great player and certainly a far more intimidating Batman than Michael Keaton or George Clooney.

  4. You posted that already – you refuse to accept his wins in 1969 and over ND at the Coliseum in the rain.

    I remember seeing Vella with that huge grin on his face as the final seconds ticked down against the Irish – priceless – John finally was named AA his senior year (1971) and then off to the Raiders.

      • Understand – you’ve heard the story that he had an ironclad commitment by McKay that he would be the starter for his three years of eligibility – you have to hand it to him (Jones) a high school player getting that kind of a guarantee from a head coach mere mos. after getting the NC in 1967.

          • Yeah but it was also the full renaissance of the program as a true dominant national power – Jones coming west drew others to come as well – Richard Wood for one – both from back east. This was as impacting as Lew Alcindor-Kareem Jabarr choosing UCLA a true paradigm shift to the west.

            Jones was the qb that famous day in September 1970 against AL. He led the team to a 10-0-1 record in 1969 – defeated MI in the Rose Bowl and Troy finished 3rd that year.

            He was as integral in changing America’s perception of black quarterbacks being the ‘first’ to lead a national program – he also went on and won a Grey Cup in the CFL for Montreal Alouettes – he got with what he had and is deserving to be in USC’s Hall Of Fame

          • Great. He was/is not in the Top 10 QBs in USC history. Mike Rae is. Period. And I like JJ, but he’s not HOF material. BTW, Rae was with Toronto when they won the Grey Cup AND the Raiders when they won the SUPER BOWL.

Comments are closed.