Wood a natural fit for Midshipmen
Lineman ‘everything you look for in a service academy athlete’
When Navy football assistants go out on the road recruiting, they usually have to explain to potential prospects what a service academy is all about.
That normally is just the beginning of a process that culminates with convincing a recruit to accept the five-year military commitment that comes with being a Naval Academy graduate.
Andrew Wood needed no such primer when he was a junior at Friendship Christian School in Lebanon, Tenn. Wood knew exactly what the deal was since his older brother attended the Coast Guard Academy.
Kyle Wood played football and baseball at Coast Guard and regular visits to the New London, Conn., campus gave his younger brother a solid understanding of such an institution. So Andrew Wood sought out the Naval Academy as opposed to the other way around.
“Getting exposure to a service academy Saturday, 3:30 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network Radio: 1090 AM Line: Navy by 31⁄ through my brother definitely had an impact on me wanting to come here,” he said.
Wood ranks as one of the highest-rated recruits in recent Navy football history, having received offers from multiple schools in Power Five conferences. The two-time All-State selection and finalist for the 2014 Tennessee Mr. Football Award earned scholarship offers from Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Duke, Purdue, Syracuse, Virginia and California among many others.
Needless to say, Navy assistant Ashley Ingram was pleasantly surprised when he showed up at Friendship Christian and learned that Wood wanted to speak with him.
“Andrew had an interest in the Naval Academy and came to camp here,” said Ingram, who has covered Tennessee since arriving at Navy in 2008. “We recruited Andrew hard and the Naval Academy had all the things he was looking for. After visiting a few times, I think he realized this was where he wanted to be.”
Wood now ranks alongside the likes of Jabari Tuani, Amos Mason, Keenan Reynolds and Malcolm Perry as standout players Ingram has landed from “The Volunteer State.” The 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive tackle reportedly chose Navy over Vanderbilt, but said he probably would have picked Purdue if the service academy appointment had not come through.
The roots of Wood’s decision to attend the Naval Academy date back to when he was in elementary school and was enthralled by a grandfather’s stories about being a navigator during the Korean War.
“I’ve wanted to fly since I’ve been 8 or 9 year old. I remember in third grade, my grandfather took me to an air show and the Blue Angels were flying. That kind of solidified my interest in aviation,” Wood said. “Doing research, I knew this place gave me the best chance of (becoming a pilot) and also playing big-time football.”
Wood has more than lived up to his advanced billing as a big-time recruit by service academy standards, earning a spot on Navy’s point after touchdown-field goal unit as a freshman. The Mount Juliet, Tennessee, resident has the rare distinction of having played in every single varsity game that has been held during his career, which would be 44 and counting.
Wood moved into the starting lineup at right tackle as a sophomore and never relinquished the spot after displaying an impressive combination of physical ability and mental aptitude. The senior has made 31 consecutive starts, longest streak of any current Midshipman.
“Andrew is a big kid who can move. There are not many kids who are 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds who move as well as he does,” Ingram said. “Andrew is also very smart and understands the offense inside-out. He’s conscientious and cares and he does his best on every snap. What else could you ask for?”
Ingram, who holds the title of running game coordinator and has coached the offensive line for 11 seasons, believes Wood is the first three-year starter along the offensive line since right guard Jake Zuzek (2012 through 2014).
“To be honest, Andrew is everything you look for in a service academy athlete, a Navy football player. He’s smart, does great in the classroom and is a really good football player,” Ingram said. “I’m pleased with everything Andrew does — from his play to type of person he is and what he stands for. He’s a great representative for the academy and our football team.”