He spent one year as head coach of the short-lived United States Football League team, the Oklahoma Outlaws, before landing an opportunity at his alma mater, bolstered by a much-remembered ad campaign that urged Tigers fans to "climb on Woody's Wagon".
However, his second tenure as head coach was no easier than the first, as Widenhofer compiled only a 15–37 record in five seasons at the helm for VU.
While unsuccessful on the field, the NCAA announced that Vanderbilt led the nation in football graduation percentage with a perfect 100% the year he left.
Widenhofer announced he was retiring from coaching following the season finale game against Fresno State on November 30, 2007.
Widenhofer had five children: Kim, Stacy, Ryan, Ross, Katlyn and grandchildren Addison, Mia, Jackson, and Sophie.
[3] After leaving the Vanderbilt campus in 2001, Woody worked in a toll booth in Destin, Florida for three years.