Marist football starting running back, redshirt junior Amin Woods, made a name for himself in the Hudson Valley long before suiting up for the Red Foxes.
Woods had a prolific high school career at the local Cornwall Central High School, where he rushed for over 4,000 yards and scored 56 touchdowns en route to building a resume that made him one of the most highly decorated and coveted high school players in the state.
Woods’ impressive production earned him several prestigious accolades; he is a two-time New York State Player of the Year and was recognized locally as a two-time Varsity 845 Player of the Year. After his impressive high school career came to an end, Woods received an offer from Marist College to continue his football career just 30 minutes away from his hometown.
“Marist actually gave me my first offer,” said Woods. “They kind of took me under their wing and I was like, ‘Let’s go.’”
Prior to going all-in on football, Woods participated in wrestling and basketball. He was a great athlete and enjoyed experimenting with different sports, but he knew that football was his true passion that he wanted to pursue.
“I ended up quitting all of my other sports and just putting all my focus on football. I just went all in,” said Woods.
Before finding his permanent home in the backfield, Woods excelled on the defensive side of the ball where his aggressive mindset and play style meshed well with the responsibilities of a defensive player.
“I loved playing linebacker, and playing safety was fun too. I was good on defense, but they didn’t allow me to play it in high school because they wanted to preserve me for offense,” said Woods.
Now, Woods has become the focal point of the Red Foxes’ offense, and he wouldn’t want it any other way. This season, he rushed for 733 yards and 3 touchdowns, averaging a robust 4.6 yards per carry and over 71 rushing yards per game. He also contributed another 104 yards and a touchdown as a receiver.
Woods has found success throughout every step of his football journey, and he has no expectation of slowing down. Woods simply credits his success to his hard work and his mindset. He is a believer that there are no limits to what he can accomplish, and the only obstacle that can slow him down is himself.
“I understand that it is me vs. me,” said Woods. “The biggest obstacle you can face is getting in your own head. College sports is like a cutthroat business, and so believing in yourself, and not losing that belief is very important.”
Woods has trained himself to have a razor-sharp mentality and to hold himself accountable, ensuring he always gets the best out of himself, which has played an important role in his success.
“I live my life in a very different way from other people. I try to maximize as much output as I can each day and try to be as productive as possible,” said Woods. “I feel like that has helped me gain leverage on the average person. I take pride in the hard work and the grind.”
Woods also made sure to give credit to his teammate, redshirt junior running back Tristan Shannon for keeping him motivated and accountable. Together, Woods and Shannon form a dynamic 1-2 punch in the Red Foxes’ backfield, as Shannon had 420 all-purpose yards of his own this season.
“It’s a very good atmosphere. Me and Tristan are close friends, but to have someone with a competitive edge like him really pushes me to produce the best version of myself,” said Woods. “We both feed off of that dynamic duo. If I show up to practice a little groggy but I see Tristan getting after it, it lights a fire under my a** to get after it too. We build off of each other like that.”
Woods ranks his historic game against Stetson as his favorite football memory of all time. He put the team on his back as he took a program record-tying 38 carries and became the first Marist player to rush for 200 yards in a game in 15 years.
“First play of the game, I ran over the safety and scored a 67-yard touchdown,” said Woods. “It was surreal. I really didn’t even know the performance I had until they told me after the game.”
Woods hopes that he can be an inspiration to someone out there who will follow in his footsteps and put their all into something in order to accomplish their goals.
“It’s going to sound cliche, but if you work hard and put your mind to something, it is achievable. I want to be an inspiration to other people to work hard. Be true to yourself and if you have a vision, just go for it,” said Woods.
In addition to being an inspiration to others, he also hopes to leave a lasting impression on his teammates and coaches that he has worked with throughout his football journey.
“I hope they’ll know me as a good, genuine person. It’s nothing related to football, I just want to be a hard-working good dude,” Woods said.
As the 2023 season comes to a close, Woods is focused on improving his game and ensuring he comes back next season as the best version of himself. The local phenom is eager to build on his success and continue to make himself and those around him proud both on and off the field.
Edited by Luke Sassa and Danny Destler
Graphic by Cara Lacey; Photos via Marist Athletics
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