Carl Woodard was a 1959 graduate of Mays High School. He played football three years and was captain of the team his senior year. He played Center and Linebacker where he won honors for Center on the 1958 All-County Football Team. The 1958 squad, captained by Woodard, finished 6-3-1 and was declared co-county champions. He was a member of the 1957 Big Nine South Football Conference Runner-up team. He also was a member of the Indian River Conference (IRC) championship football team in 1956. The 1956 team went 8-1 and the 1957 team went 9-1. In his years in the Ram football program, the teams only lost five games in his entire high school career. After high school, he attended Texas Southern University on a football scholarship. While at TSU, he played center and linebacker under legendary coach Alexander Durley. A four-year letter winner in football and team captain his senior year, he was named All-Conference both his junior and senior years. By his senior year, he was named the team’s most valuable lineman and a first-team All-American. Carl was also named the Jackie Graves Award winner for being the best interior lineman.
He had tryouts with the Cleveland Browns in 1964 and the Kansas City Chiefs in 1966, but was not offered a contract. He signed and played with the Westchester Crusaders of the Atlantic Coast Football League in 1964. He played one year for the Mobile Tarpons of the North American Football League. He then played briefly for the West Texas Rufneks of the Continental Football League in 1969.
Here’s a list of the awards Woodard has received.
1963 First Team Black College All-American
1963 All SWAC Team
1963 Team Outstanding Interior Lineman Award
1963 Team Most Valuable Lineman
1963 Co-Captain
1962 All SWAC Team
Four Year Letterman
Four Year Starter at center and linebacker
1958 All-County Football Team (Center)
1958 Member of the Dade County HS Football Co-Championship Team
1958 Co-Captain of the Co-County Championship Football Team
1957 Member of the Big 9 South Football Conference Runner-up Team
1956 Member of the Conference Championship Team
Three Year Letterman
