Pflugerville High running back Storm Woods announced recently that he intended to play football for Oregon State University next season.

Woods, a senior, had plenty of options for college ball in front of him. He recently said he’d narrowed his list to Oregon State, Oklahoma, TCU and the University of Houston but in the end decided to move to Corvalis, Ore., where he will ply his trade for the Beavers starting in the fall of 2011.

“I liked their offensive scheme,” Woods said. “It’s nice up there and I like the coaches.”

Woods rushed for 473 yards in two and a half games last year for the Panthers. His season ended prematurely as he suffered a knee injury in the third game of Pflugerville’s season and never returned. He believes that he will have plenty of chances to play for the Beavers as a freshman. The team’s leading rusher last year, Texan Jacquizz Rodgers, is a junior this year and will be a senior when Woods arrives on campus.

“The running back situation is the same as when Jacquizz went in there and played as a freshman,” Woods said. “I expect to get early playing time.”

Woods said that getting the decision made was a relief.

“It’s a big weight off my shoulders,” he said. “It’s an honor to get the chance to play Division I football, but I’m still in high school. I want to put it behind me and focus on winning a state championship.”

Woods is the second Panther to give a verbal commitment to a Division I school this summer. Safety Alex Matlock announced he would play for the University of Kansas in June.