Wood played as a three-year
starting quarterback at
Cornell University, beginning in his sophomore season in 1961. Wood was the leading rusher and passer for the
Big Red every year in which he was the starter. In 1962, Wood led the nation in all-purpose yards, with 1,395 (155.0 yards per game). That season, he also set an
Ivy League total offense record in a game against Penn with 387 yards (207 rushing, 106 throwing), and was named first-team All-Ivy and to the AP All-East Team. He also lettered as a
center fielder-
second baseman-
pitcher on the 1962 Cornell baseball team, batting .277 in 17 games, with a six-inning
ERA of 1.49. In 1963 during his senior year, Wood was elected
team captain, had 545 yards passing and 818 yards rushing (8th in the nation), was again named first-team All-Ivy, and was named to the
Associated Press All-East team, and was elected to the
National Honor Society. He was first in the country in kickoff return yardage (618 yards on 19 returns, for a 32.5 average). He was named Ivy League Player of the Week five times in his career, a two-time All-American honorable mention, set five Ivy League career and single-season offensive records (career total offense (3,457 yards); career rushing (1867); single-season total offense (1,616 yards in '62); single-season rushing (813 yards in '62); single-game total offense (387 yards vs. Penn in '62)), and is the only Ivy League player to rush for 2,000 yards and pass for 1,000 more (he rushed for more yards (2,156) than he passed (1,891)). He also set Cornell records for career total offense, single season total offense; career rushing; single season rushing; and single game total offense. ==Professional career==