During Friday night’s 27-14 win over the Havana, Florida-based Gadsden County Jaguars, one Trojan broke a significant 49-year old offensive record. And he’s on pace to break another big record, although this one hasn’t stood for nearly as long.
Against the Jaguars, senior running back Tyrese Woodgett rushed for 278 yards on 33 carries and scored all three of Coffee’s touchdowns. He scored on runs of 52 and 80 yards, respectively. His other touchdown came on a 28-yard pass from quarterback Bray Coe.
Woodgett’s 278 yards is a new single game rushing record, eclipsing the old record of 262 yards set in 1975. Mike Worth established that record 49 years ago and it has remained unchallenged since. Monday afternoon, Worth sent a message of congratulations to Woodgett via email. “I am so proud for Tyrese, and I’m just proud that I could be part of the great history of Trojan football. Coffee County still has Trojan pride. Go, Trojans, go!” said Worth.
Woodgett is accumulating yards at an unprecedented pace – even more so than that of Fred Brown, who led the GHSA in rushing with 2,488 yards last season. Brown broke Coffee’s single season record set by Louis Smith in 1997. Smith’s record of 1,296 yards didn’t stand a chance with Brown in the backfield.
Likewise, Brown’s record may not make it through this season if Woodgett keeps up at such a frenetic pace. Through four games, Woodgett has 684 rushing yards – 69 more than the 615 Brown had four games into last season.
There are, however, some differences. With just one non region game remaining before the region schedule begins, things will get much more difficult for Woodgett. The Trojans are in a new region that features much better competition than what they’ve played over the last several years. Houston County, Lee County, and Thomas County Central are all ranked in the 5A top 10 and are much more accomplished teams than all but one (Ware) of Coffee’s region foes last year.
Brown also had the benefit of playing a 15-game schedule, something that had never been done before in the Trojans’ history (their 2017 state runner-up season was 14 games; one early-season game was cancelled due to weather). Brown averaged nearly 166 yards per game in 2023. At the moment, Woodgett is averaging 171 yards per game. To break Brown’s record by just one yard in 14 games, he would need to average 178 yards per game. To do so in 13 games would require a 191 yard per game average.
A few things are going to have to fall into place for him to break the season rushing record. And he’s going to have to navigate the toughest region schedule the Trojans have had in a long time. But it makes for a fun season whenever a record is on the line. One record has already fallen. Could there be a second?