2025 Convention Recap | Marcus Woodson, Arkansas | Leadership & Excellence
May 12, 2025
Marcus Woodson is the Co-Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach at Arkansas, entering his third season in 2025. Before his time with the Razorbacks, he held roles at Florida State, Auburn, Memphis, Fresno State, Charleston Southern, and Millsaps College, primarily coaching the Defensive Backs. Woodson played safety at Ole Miss.
In this video clip, Coach Woodson discusses leadership and excellence through his coaching philosophy, standards, expectations, the holistic development model, NIL and the Transfer Portal, and Leadership Development. Watch the full video on the AFCA Digital Library for more insights on meetings, development, and block destruction.
Leadership and Excellence: Coaching for On and Off-Field Success
- Coaching Philosophy
- Always begin with the end goal in mind to create a process that leads to the desired result.
- Build trust through effective communication.
- Speak so your players love to listen, listen so your players love to speak
- Trust is hard to earn, but easy to lose
- Teach your players to create positive habits that align with their dreams and goals.
- Train the mind—how you do anything is how you do everything.
- Lead by serving others; prioritize the growth and success of those around you.
- Value everyone you work with, including student assistants and graduate assistants.
- Standards and Expectations
- Keep your mind stronger than your emotions.
- Be a consistent professional.
- Manage your daily improvements.
- Strive to be an asset, not a liability, to your environment.
- Focus on language—both verbal and non-verbal, good posture, and always bring value to those around you.
- Holistic Development Model
- Mind
- Resilience, Academic Success, and NIL Literacy
- Understanding NIL and the Transfer Portal Era
- In the age of roster fluidity, teaching togetherness is more important than ever.
- Foster a “we” and “us” mindset, not a “me” and “I” mindset.
- It’s the coach’s responsibility to manage NIL pressures and guide financial literacy.
- Leadership Development
- Leadership: Hold each other accountable—relationships matter.
- Brotherhood: Pair experienced players with freshmen to create a “big brother” system.
- Community Engagement: Use your influence positively and build character through service.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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Marcus Woodson is the Co-Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach at Arkansas, entering his third season in 2025. Before his time with the Razorbacks, he held roles at Florida State, Auburn, Memphis, Fresno State, Charleston Southern, and Millsaps College, primarily coaching the Defensive Backs. Woodson played safety at Ole Miss.
In this video clip, Coach Woodson discusses leadership and excellence through his coaching philosophy, standards, expectations, the holistic development model, NIL and the Transfer Portal, and Leadership Development. Watch the full video on the AFCA Digital Library for more insights on meetings, development, and block destruction.
Leadership and Excellence: Coaching for On and Off-Field Success
- Coaching Philosophy
- Always begin with the end goal in mind to create a process that leads to the desired result.
- Build trust through effective communication.
- Speak so your players love to listen, listen so your players love to speak
- Trust is hard to earn, but easy to lose
- Teach your players to create positive habits that align with their dreams and goals.
- Train the mind—how you do anything is how you do everything.
- Lead by serving others; prioritize the growth and success of those around you.
- Value everyone you work with, including student assistants and graduate assistants.
- Standards and Expectations
- Keep your mind stronger than your emotions.
- Be a consistent professional.
- Manage your daily improvements.
- Strive to be an asset, not a liability, to your environment.
- Focus on language—both verbal and non-verbal, good posture, and always bring value to those around you.
- Holistic Development Model
- Mind
- Resilience, Academic Success, and NIL Literacy
- Understanding NIL and the Transfer Portal Era
- In the age of roster fluidity, teaching togetherness is more important than ever.
- Foster a “we” and “us” mindset, not a “me” and “I” mindset.
- It’s the coach’s responsibility to manage NIL pressures and guide financial literacy.
- Leadership Development
- Leadership: Hold each other accountable—relationships matter.
- Brotherhood: Pair experienced players with freshmen to create a “big brother” system.
- Community Engagement: Use your influence positively and build character through service.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
