By Les Johns | @KernelJohns

[email protected]

The spotlight on Morehead State head coach Sean Woods this week exposed his warts.

His team opened collegiate play in the Barclays Center and continued competition in the Barclays Classic at Rupp Arena Tuesday night against the defending national champion (and Woods’ alma matter) Cats.

Woods’ team punished UK early and often, and truly tested the Cats despite ultimately falling 81-70.

His team’s excellent performance has earned some mentions nationally, but the dominating story of the day is Woods’ behavior on the sideline.

With 5:51 left in the game Tuesday, MSU senior guard Devon Atkinson committed his fifth foul as UK freshman guard Archie Goodwin drove past him into the lane.

Goodwin got by Atkinson with his initial step on a drive — which is going to happen to defenders hundreds of times this season. Atkinson reached behind Goodwin, possibly to try to back-tip the ball and earned the whistle to disqualify him.

On his way to the bench, Atkinson was shoved in the back and verbally berated by Woods. If Woods had eaten onions for supper, Atkinson would have been able to know, as the tongue-lashing was from an uncomfortable face-to-face vantage point.

Woods had a similar incident in the Nov. 12 game against Maryland with junior center Chad Posthumus. ESPN analyst Scott Van Pelt tweeted at the time, “Sean Woods, Morehead State basketball coach, is so outwardly hostile towards his players it’s uncomfortable,” about that exchange.

On a day in which the play and determination of Woods’ team should be celebrated, there instead has become a national debate over his treatment of players, his demeanor on the bench and what penalties the university should deliver.

For their part, the Morehead players interviewed Tuesday night defended their coach.

“It doesn’t make us uncomfortable. We handle it very well and it gets us better,” Morehead junior forward Drew Kelly said after the game.

Woods also made headlines early in the week with provocative comments about the “vibe” he got from current

UK players at the telethon for Hurricane Sandy victims. He backtracked from those statements within hours, apologized to the Cats after the game Tuesday and received a welcome ovation from the Rupp Arena crowd.

Woods is passionate about coaching, his players and his love of the game of basketball.

It is difficult to dial-back passion.

There is a difference however, between passion and abuse. Coaches should not lay their hands on players and should refrain from dressing them down verbally in public settings.

These are potential career-stunting actions that could haunt Woods for years if not reigned in immediately.

The Courier-Journal’s Kyle Tucker reported Wednesday the Morehead State administration is looking in to Tuesday’s incident and that any disciplinary action would be announced Friday.

Woods took Mississippi Valley State to the NCAA tourney last year and moved up the coaching ladder to a position in the Ohio Valley Conference just an hour away from the school he became beloved.

His jersey hangs in the Rupp rafters, and he will forever be known as an “Unforgettable.”

Woods corrected his public relations faux paus quickly his week and was able to bounce back and lead his team to a hard-fought game against the Cats.

He now needs to get on top of this situation just as quickly, so that his true potential as a head coach can be showcased.

The warts are showing now, and they will likely fester a bit when Morehead announces its punishment Friday, but Woods is both passionate and talented.

He can battle back from this and have the spotlight be on his teams’ play the next time the spotlight is on Morehead State basketball.

Follow @KernelJohns