Three of the four Woodason brothers wore Faulkner Eagles blue football jerseys, while the fourth brother, Seth, wore the black and gold of Harding University.
Matt Woodason, who initially chose Lipscomb University over Faulkner, shared how his grandfather, George Woodason, encouraged him to consider Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. Matt said, “During my junior year at Lipscomb, I heard about Faulkner’s plan to start a football program and loved the idea. I stayed at Lipscomb for my senior year, extending my studies to five years instead of four to play at least one year of college football. It wasn’t as if Faulkner had contacted me due to my stellar athletic ability and wanted me to come down and play for them! Nope! I wanted to see if I could get back into shape and thought it would be cool to play with one of my brothers, which it was!”
Matt’s transition to Faulkner was unique. He recalled, “I was married the week before arriving at Faulkner for summer workouts in 2007. Bringing my new wife, Anna, to a state and city nine hours away from her family and friends in Indiana probably wasn’t one of my best decisions, but it’s what we did.” Matt appreciated the support from the University Church Family and the friends they made, which helped them adjust.
He reminisced about his time at Faulkner, noting, “I remember the Montgomery heat in August and the gritty nature of how the program started. I thought I had an idea of what heat and humidity felt like, but I was wrong! I will never forget the turf, grass on the practice field, and the helmets and shoulder pads.” He also recalled the early challenges, like practicing at Goodwyn Middle School’s field and using the gym or parking lot for walk-throughs. “Looking back, I do have fond memories of all those crazy times,” he said.
Playing football with his brother Jake was a highlight for Matt. “I distinctly remember one night at Goodwyn when Jake and I were on the field together and thought, ‘how cool is this!’ I made the tackle on that play and not Jake, but that is beside the point…as it may have been the only time either one of us saw any playing time!” Matt graduated in December 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
After college, Matt and Anna stayed in Montgomery for a few years before moving back to be closer to family. They now have six children. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they traveled the country in a fifth wheel, which caught fire in Fort Myers, Florida. They returned home and are now homesteading with a variety of animals. “If you are from the Midwest, anytime you get to Montgomery, you are basically at the beach. We have made several trips to the beach and will usually stop by and see the campus…and grab a box or two of Krispy Kremes!” Matt said.
Jake Woodason also reflected on his college choice, noting, “I wanted to play football outside of Indiana. My grandfather spoke highly of Faulkner, and when I saw they were starting a football program, I saw it as a great opportunity to play with one of my brothers.” He remembered the challenging August heat in Montgomery and said, “Coming from Indiana, experiencing the record heat was quite a change.”
Jake cherished the chance to play football with his brothers and fondly remembered being named Homecoming King alongside his now wife, Myra Tarrh Woodason. “I was fortunate to be named Homecoming King, and even stole a kiss on the 50-yard line during halftime of that game in 2010!” he said.
Jake graduated in 2011, married Myra, and moved to Nashville before returning to Indiana. They have five daughters. Jake, who has been in corporate insurance consulting, and Myra, a former Dave Ramsey employee now homeschooling their children, visited Faulkner for the 10-year anniversary of the football program in 2017.
David Woodason, who also wanted to play football in college, chose Faulkner for its quicker opportunity to see the field and its smaller campus. He joined the team in 2009 to study Sports Management. “Unfortunately, by the time I got to Faulkner, my brothers weren’t playing anymore. But I think it’s something to be proud of that all four of us played in college and three of us played for the same university,” David said.
David, who played as a long snapper, recalled the extreme heat: “I remember my brothers telling me how hot it was playing in Alabama, but I didn’t truly appreciate that until our cleats were literally melting on the field during our first home game my freshman year.” He enjoyed spring training despite the grueling workouts and late-night jam sessions on Rock Band.
David graduated in 2013, and worked in Faulkner’s Student Life Department, and later at Auburn University. He is now the Department Chair of Kinesiology and Exercise Science at Faulkner. He met his future wife, Emily Irwin, at Faulkner, and they married in 2015. Emily is a speech-language pathologist, and they have three children. David expressed, “I made many friendships through the years at Faulkner and the University Church of Christ. This community has provided many positive experiences in my life, and I am honored to be a part of the change in students’ lives.”
With fourteen children among the three Woodason brothers, it is likely that more future Eagle athletes are on the horizon.
