A native of Sheffield, England, Phil Woods joined the Arkansas State staff in 2024 as a volunteer coach and was promoted to assistant coach in July 2025. Prior to A-State, he spent a year and a half as a coach and scout with FC Dallas and served as an assistant coach with USL League 2 side Texas United in 2023.

Woods began his full-time coaching career at Missouri State, his alma mater, in 2019. During his four years with the Bears, the program won four consecutive Missouri Valley Conference regular-season titles and three MVC Tournament championships, earning MVC Coaching Staff of the Year honors. He launched his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Tulsa from 2017–19 while completing a Master of Business Administration.

As a player at Missouri State from 2013–16, Woods was part of two MVC regular-season championship teams. He was a two-time MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team selection and a three-time recipient of the MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award.

Before moving to the United States, Woods played for Rotherham United Football Club in England. He continues to pursue his coaching education and is set to receive his UEFA A License in Coaching.