FAMU confirms decision to hire Alex Wood to lead football program

At 7:44 p.m. yesterday, Rattler Nation (via its Twitter feed) broke the news that FAMU was targeting Alex Wood as its top pick for the vacant football head coach position. Today, Interim Athletic Director Nelson Townsend confirmed that Wood had accepted the job.

“I am delighted to join the Rattler family,” said Wood. “After meeting with Interim AD [Nelson Townsend] and President [Elmira Mangum], I am thoroughly convinced that working together with Board of Trustees, students, faculty, alumni, and supporters that I can build a competitive football program that will play a positive role in helping FAMU enhance its brand and achieve its mission of becoming a best-in-class academic institution.”

The university will officially introduce Wood as the new leader of its football program during a press conference scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

Wood, 59, was interim head coach and offensive coordinator at the University at Buffalo before being hired by FAMU.

“When President Mangum tasked me with completing the search for a head coach with a proven record of developing a competitive program, possessing high moral and ethical character, capacity to inspire our student -athletes, and the capabilities to take the program in a new direction, one of the first persons that came to mind was Alex Wood,” Townsend said. “The stars aligned perfectly for FAMU to get a coach of the caliber of Alex,” added Townsend.

Wood brings more than 30 years of coaching experience to FAMU, including three years as the head coach of James Madison University and stints on the coaching staffs of three NFL teams.

“I applaud the ability of Interim AD Townsend to swiftly, yet carefully and deliberately, complete the search for a new head coach,” Mangum said. “Moreover, I commend him for identifying a person with the capabilities and integrity of Alex Wood.”