If Jabez Woods is going to do it, he’s going to do it big as he’s had a knack for being in the middle of the action throughout his young career at Montana State.
Just two games into his third season, the wide receiver/kick returner has at least two of the most electrifying plays in that span, not to mention a number of clutch or noteworthy moments that have set the Bobcats up for key scores.
The preseason All-Big Sky kick returner made those prognosticators look good and reminded everyone of what kind of effect he can provide when he broke open a 3-3 tie with the Butler Bulldogs in front of a throng of gold-clad fans at Bobcat Stadium during the annual Gold Rush game.
The 5-11, 185-pound speedster took a floating kickoff at the goal line, started straight up field before angling to his right where his blockers had developed a crease that he sprinter through before gliding down the sideline electrifying the stadium record crowd of 22,277. From there the Bobcats scored another 27 unanswered points to put away the upset-minded Bulldogs with Woods getting another score on his lone catch of the 2026 season – a 35-yard touchdown pass play from backup quarterback Patrick Duchein.
“Throughout the week we kept saying that this could be the game where get one (kickoff return score),” Woods said. “We kept harping on and I seen the ball floating and it was right in my hands and I knew I had to do something with it. Everybody being bought in … that feeling was surreal especially here in Gold Rush.”
“He’s got playmaking ability along with a bunch of other guys,” MSU head coach Brent Vigen said. “It was good to see him get those opportunities and make the best of it.”
Woods had a similar play in MSU’s first road conference game of 2025 against Northern Arizona. Shortly after Taco Dowler tied the game 7-7 with a 95-yard punt return touchdown, Woods broke the tie again when he took a mid-range pass on a crossing route 79 yards for a score as part of a 34-0 run that lead to a 34-10 win over the Lumberjacks. He’d finish with 100 yards receiving for his first 100-yard game with the Bobcats.
He was part of MSU’s frenetic three-play, 75-yard touchdown drive just before halftime of the national championship game that took just :36 before fellow wide receiver Dane Steel memorably hurdled and dove his way into the end zone. In the second half his kickoff return of 35 yards ignited MSU’s lone score of the half that gave the Bobcats a 28-14 lead late in the third quarter.
“Especially for kickoff return we understand that it’s either going to be the first opening play or the first play coming out of the half,” Woods said. “Everybody has to do their 1/11th from the front line all the way to the back line. Everybody listens to (punt returner) Taco (Dowler) over there on special teams. It’s all about taking control and everybody knowing what their assignment is.”
Woods has also lived a charmed life with the Bobcats as later in the title game he had a chance to give MSU a first down inside the Illinois State 5-yard line on a third down play in overtime. A Justin Lamson throw that was slightly behind him bounced off his shoulder and fluttered in the air as Redbird’ defenders made diving attempts to catch it in vain. Moments later the Bobcats would score on the next play and go on to win the title.
In the national semifinals against Montana, Woods had another scare as he caught a pass but was stripped of the ball in MSU territory just before halftime. The Bobcats were leading 20-9 at the time and the Grizzlies would punch the ball into the end zone to go from down 17 points to behind by just four at the half. MSU would fall behind by 23-20 in the third quarter before rebounding with 28 unanswered points to secure the win going away.
“That group was super special, being in Nashville with those guys,” Woods said while reflecting back on MSU’s first national title in 41 years. “It started out super strong, kinda gave everybody a scare but we finished it. It was such surreal moment being out there with a special group of guys.
Woods also understands the importance of moving past that game and moment if his squad is going to make another strong push for back-to-back titles.
“We can’t dwell on the past and what we did,” Woods said. “It was great but this whole group understands that we’re trying to get another one. Get the celebration out early. When we did it we had our little celebration parade but after that we kind of know going into condo (off-season conditioning) that it’s a new season, we’re going to have new guys step up. We lost a couple seniors like JT (Reed) and losing those we had to realize that it’s next man up.”
Taco Dowler has been a major person in Woods’ football life at MSU serving as an on-the-job mentor to many players as well as keeping them grounded in reality.
“(Taco) just tells me to play football out there,” Woods said. “When I first came in, I was always in my head, I was super overthinking and Taco just made sure to tell me to calm down and take a deep breath because at the end of the day it is just football. Like, you been doing this for a long time and when you slow the process down in your head and just play freely that’s when the best player comes out. So, him just being a big brother figure to me and making sure that I take a deep breath and understand that I’ve been here before.”
Woods recognizes that honing his craft is a constant, on-going process and like any good player he’s looking for areas to improve his game.
“I was little bit lazy at the top of my routes coming out of breaks,” Woods said. “(Wide receiver) Coach (James) Price has shown me a lot of things like secondary releases, releases at the start of the route and really just focusing on the little details. I know I’m pretty fast but how can I control my speed going downfield or how can I manipulate space in front of a defender? Little things like that.”
Woods was a prolific receiver at Graham-Kapowsin High School in Spanaway, Wash. where he caught nearly 200 passes for over 2,500 yards and 26 touchdowns. He averaged 138 all-purpose yards per game between his receiving, rushing, punt and kickoff returns. Despite that he found the college game a challenge.
“(It was like) getting used to the kick returning again,” Woods said. “The college speed compared to high school is a lot different, so just understanding that I got to make the right choices out there in the backfield. If I have to make a fair catch, I have to make a fair catch. I can’t be selfish and try to take everything out because you can see how that ends up. You might get down on the 15 or you might get down on the 10, so just making the right decisions there and then just knowing that whenever my chance comes on offense I need to be ready up here.”
Despite not winning a starting role at wide receiver this season, Woods is still a big part of the rotation at the position. Starters Dowler, Steel, and Jordan Reed, are consistently subbed out for Woods, Parker Mady and Carter Dahlke. Mady has yet to see the field this season, but all the others, sans Woods, have four catches or more and everyone except Reed and Mady have at least one touchdown. Woods has 19 catches for 333 yards and three touchdowns and 554 kickoff return yards and a score in his 13 games at Montana State.
A total of 13 players, including tight ends and running backs, have receptions this season as the Bobcats have morphed out of being an almost one-dimensional offense into a more balanced unit.
The Bobcats continue their preparations for this week’s game against Football Bowl Subdivision University of Nevada out of the Mountain West Conference. The Wolfpack are coached by former MSU head coach Jeff Choate, who preceded Vigen.
Photos by Brooks Nuanez, Jason Bacaj & Blake Hempstead. All Rights Reserved.
