WVU Sports Hall of Fame

Inducted: 1999

Written by Shelly Poe

A look at the kicking section in the West Virginia record books will show that Paul Woodside was one of the best place kickers to ever don the Gold and Blue.

He is the only Mountaineer place-kicker to earn first team All-America honors, selected in 1983 when he booted 21 field goals in 25 tries and led WVU in scoring with 100 points. He was also selected a second team All-American by UPI in 1982 and 1983 and was a third team pick by the AP in 1982.

A native of Falls Church, Va., Woodside was a four-year letterwinner for the Mountaineers from 1981-84. During his four seasons, WVU compiled a 35-13 record and appeared in a bowl game every season, taking home wins in the 1981 Peach, 1983 Hall of Fame and 1984 Bluebonnet bowls.

Originally a walk-on to the team, Woodside will forever be remembered by West Virginia fans for his fourth quarter field goal that gave WVU a 17-14 upset of No. 20 Penn State in 1984 -- the first win for West Virginia over the Nittany Lions in 29 years.

One of the more colorful players of the era, Woodside will also be remembered for the various patterns that he would draw on his shoes with a marker.

Getting the starting nod midway through his freshman season, Woodside went on to re-write the West Virginia kicking record book. He holds school records for scoring (323 points), field goals (74) and field goals attempted (93).

He is second all-time in extra points made (101) and attempted (103). He also owns the NCAA season record for most times kicking two or more field goals in a game with 10 in 1982. Twice in that season he had four field goals in a game, against Maryland and Syracuse.

As accurate as he was prolific, Woodside also owns the school mark for field goal accuracy, connecting on 79.6 percent of his tries, including hitting a school record 15 straight over the 1981 and 1982 seasons. He also owns the two longest boots in Mountaineer history, a 55-yarder against Louisville in 1984 and a 53-yard effort against Syracuse in 1983.

A member of the all-time team from 1980-89, Woodside was drafted in the 12th round by the Buffalo Bills in 1985. He currently resides in Alexandria, Va., where he is a personal financial specialist for PIMERICA.