OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -After becoming the most prolific rusher in college football history, Danny Woodhead slept in, picked up breakfast at the Subway in Chadron and plopped on his couch to watch an NFL game.
“I honestly don’t feel like anything’s different,” he said. “It’s like any other Sunday.”
About 24 hours earlier, the Chadron State tailback broke R.J. Bowers’ all-division career record by running for 208 yards in a 21-0 victory over Western New Mexico in Silver City, N.M. A 6-yard run in the third quarter pushed Woodhead past Bowers’ mark of 7,353, and the diminutive senior finished the game with a career total of 7,441.
There was a brief stoppage after the record-breaking run so the milestone could be announced.
“I didn’t want them to make a big deal out of it,” Woodhead said. “That shouldn’t be the focus.”
Woodhead ran to the sideline to present the game ball to his parents, Mark and Annette Woodhead of North Platte, and hugs were exchanged. He said they kept the ball, and has no idea what they plan to do with it.
“It’s probably laying somewhere around the house,” he said.
Bowers, who set his record from 1997-2000 at Division III Grove City (Pa.) College, and Woodhead are the only players to top 7,000 yards rushing in college football. Woodhead is on pace to go over 8,000.
Woodhead set an all-division single-season record with 2,756 yards rushing last season, when he won the Harlon Hill Trophy as the outstanding player in Division II.
Now that the career record is out of the way, Woodhead plans to give his full attention to helping the unbeaten Eagles get back to the national playoffs.
“I guess it’s nice to get it over,” he said. “It’s not something that was really bothering me so much that it was such a relief.”
Woodhead said it might be some time before he realizes the magnitude of the record.
“I haven’t made stats a big deal,” he said. “The only stat that is a big deal is just winning. Maybe when I’m talking to my kids about it, it will be a little special. That’s something I’ll be able to tell my kids and grandkids maybe.”
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