LOGAN, Utah – Utah State senior tight end Emerson Woods bleeds Utah through and through as he was born and raised in the Beehive State.

"Growing up in Sandy and the state of Utah was really nice," Woods said. "It's clean, quiet and we have the outdoors. I feel like it's different from anywhere else just because of the wilderness out here. I enjoy it and I like it here."

Those Utah ties can be in part to Emerson's father Marcus, who attended the University of Utah, where he lettered in football for two years in 1993 and 1994. That's where Marcus met his future wife, Tricia, and as they say, the rest is history. Woods' father has been a big influence on the senior tight end, and he has never felt pressured to follow in his footsteps.

"He's always there to support me," Woods said. "He said it was up to me if I wanted to play football. I saw what he did at Utah and I wanted to play also." 

Woods' work ethic has stood out to inside receivers/tight ends coach Luke Wells. 

"He's a reserved guy, but he's also smart, does a really good job academically and handles his business well," Wells said. "He's a guy that takes everything really seriously and has a high-care factor." 

Wells has seen the hard work Woods puts in day in and day out.

"He's a great kid," Wells added. "He works hard and is a good kid to be around the program. He cares a lot and has a high-character profile."

That profile began for Woods in Sandy, where he attended Brighton High School. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Woods began playing flag football when he was in the fourth grade. After switching middle schools in the seventh grade, that is when he decided to put on the pads and give tackle football a try.

Woods played defensive end and tight end for the Bengals of Brighton HS, where he recorded 22 tackles and two receptions for 13 yards his senior season in 2013. He also ran sprints for the track team and was a team captain.

"Being named team captain of the track team built my confidence," Woods said. "It actually made me run faster during meets."

Woods walked on at his parents' alma mater, the University of Utah, in 2014. He transferred to Snow College (Ephraim, Utah) in 2015, where he was a defensive lineman his freshman season and then switched to tight end for his sophomore campaign. That is where Woods scored his first touchdown after not scoring in high school.

"That was really memorable to get that touchdown," Woods said. "It was a 38-yarder against Air Force Prep and I'll never forget that moment."

In all, Woods' time at Snow College saw him record seven tackles, including one tackle for loss, in five games as a freshman, and two touchdowns on six receptions for 74 yards in eight games in his sophomore season.

After finishing up his sophomore season at Snow College, Woods strived to play Division I football and received an offer to play up north at Utah State. It was a no-brainer for Woods. 

"Utah State was close to home and it's a well-known program," Woods said. "They have a good culture and I've grown up hearing about them."

Woods is one of four returning tight ends for USU and is vying to get on the field and contribute in his final season as an Aggie. Since arriving at Utah State, Woods has seen a difference in the competition during his time playing in junior college to the Division I level.

"The speed of the game is a lot faster," Woods said. "People are bigger and more physical, too. I've been a lot better with route-running in past games and also catching the ball."

While Woods has adapted to the level of Division I football, he has had some help significantly from Wells making him become a better tight end.

"He's really good at what he does," Woods said. "He's helped me on a lot of things. He pays attention to all of the little details and that's what really matters."

In order to be a better player and teammate, Woods knows that there's always room for improvement.

"The littlest things can be worked on, such as technique, and that's what really matters is getting better every day," Woods said.

Woods said he wants to win the Mountain West championship his senior season. "I just want to keep improving my craft and get to that championship game," Woods said. "Of course we have to go out there and win games and that's always the goal." 

Though he played two games his junior season at USU and didn't record any stats, Woods' favorite memory has been being around his teammates. But if you ask him his favorite football memory, you have to go back to his time at Snow College.

"My first touchdown catch at Snow College was really memorable," Woods said. "It was a 38-yard touchdown and I didn't even score in high school, so that was a cool moment."

Off the field, Woods enjoys hanging out with his friends, going to the lake and relaxing. Woods, who is majoring in exercise science, is on track to graduate from Utah State in May of 2019 and hopes to pursue a career in training.

"He does a really good job in the classroom and is a good person off the field," Wells said. "He handles his business well and he's fun to be around."

What makes Woods' time at Utah State so special is the family atmosphere and being a part of a unit.

"The coaches care about you as a person and a player," Woods said. "Everyone works hard here."