ATTLEBORO -- After two decades of directing the St. John's High School football team in Shrewsbury and collecting three Central Mass. Division 1 Super Bowl championships, Tony Wood is seeking an Eastern Mass. Super Bowl ring.

`` I'm humbled, I'm excited about the opportunity to coach at a school with such a tradition as Bishop Feehan,'' said Wood, who was named Thursday as the Shamrocks' new football coach by Athletic Director Paul O'Boy.

Wood, a graduate of Brockton High who played collegiately for three seasons on the offensive line at Duke University, from which he graduated in 1976, becomes the 11th head coach in Bishop Feehan High history.

During his 19 seasons as the head coach at St. John's, Wood's teams won 14 conference championships and compiled a 124-72-1 record.

Upon leaving St. John's two years ago, Wood actually applied for the Bishop Feehan High post when Jack Peavey resigned, but Curt Smith was appointed for the 2004 season. Wood succeeds Robb McCoy, who coached the Shamrock football team in 2005 and was a history instructor at the school. But, he was controversially forced to submit his resignation by the Fall River Diocese for having fathered a child out of wedlock, a violation of the morals clause included in all diocesan contracts.

`` I have known Tony for a number of years, going back to our common service on the Executive Committee of the Mass. Football Coaches Association,'' said O'Boy in making the announcement. `` He is an outstanding coach, a strong leader and a man of great integrity.''

Wood, who has served on the faculty and staff at Scituate High School for the past two seasons as a history instructor and as athletic director, will be granted a teaching post at Bishop Feehan along with his football duties.

`` I missed the coaching,'' said Wood of his decision to depart from Scituate High as a member of the faculty and administrator.

`` Being an AD, all of the administrative stuff that goes along with that is hard enough and they want you to teach -- it's very time-consuming,'' said Wood of his long days.

Wood heard of the Bishop Feehan High situation through the coaching grapevine and contacted O'Boy about the position.

`` Knowing Paul and Frank (Almeida, the former Taunton High coach who serves as a Feehan assistant) from the Coaches Assocation, they're two great guys,'' said Wood. `` I met them 15, 20 years ago -- they're good people.''

Wood has another indirect connection to Bishop Feehan as his son, Peter, is a member of the Harvard University football team along with a pair of Shamrocks, Ryan Tully and David Paine.

`` I heard about the position and approached Paul about it,'' said Wood of his discussions which began about two weeks ago. `` I had applied two years ago before I went to Scituate.''

Having coached and taught in the same parochial school atmosphere at St. John's as is Bishop Feehan is a positive factor, Wood said. `` I believe in a lot of the old-school stuff, but I have to admit I was re-educated with youth sports,'' he said. `` You have to adapt.''

Wood was itching to get back on the sidelines during his tenure at Scituate High, but administrative duties forbid him from doing so.

`` We had our share of success at St. John's, but you have got to have players, too,'' said Wood. `` And I've had the good fortune to have had other good coaches to learn from,'' he added, mentioning Bob Pirolli, with whom he worked with in North Carolina.

Upon graduation from Duke, Wood worked in the Brockton school system for two years and then was a teacher-coach in the Greensboro, N.C., and Fayetteville, N.C., areas for five years.

Wood has yet to meet with the Bishop Feehan High football team, as the Shamrocks are currently on spring break, but O'Boy has scheduled a meeting with the team and new coach early next week.

Wood also intimated that he would be honored to retain as many members of the current Bishop Feehan High coaching staff as possible, citing the performance and work in the community of line coach Fred Pardey.

`` I'm looking forward to next season, I've heard that they have a very competitive schedule,'' said Wood. `` You like people to target you as one of the better schools having one of the better football programs.''