Sitting down with first-year head coach Frank Wilson and two veteran players in running back Jarveon Williams and safety Michael Egwuagu on Day One of the Conference USA media days, I felt like a sponge soaking up everything Wilson preached about taking over a program that has struggled in recent years.
I felt like one of his players after a long, hot practice in the San Antonio heat being acknowledged and genuinely cared for as a human being.
Coach Wilson believes treating his players in more ways than X's and O's on a 100-yard long field will eventually lead to the success the Roadrunner faithful have been so eager to find.
"San Antonio was very appealing because of the vested interest the people in this city had in its lone FBS school," Wilson said. "I know with the people and my team I have on the field, if I get to know them, they'll in turn understand that I'm here, we're here as a coaching staff to give the team and this city a sense of stability.
"We're here, stable and in good hands."
Wilson said it was a no-brainer to come to UTSA, not only for his own interest of becoming a head coach, but because he knows it's a great opportunity to give back to the community of San Antonio what it deserves.
"I've been very fortunate over the last several years on staffs where a leadership role has fortunately been bestowed upon me," Wilson said. "I saw the grassroots of Larry Fedora being the first guy hired on his staff (University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill) along with many other first-year coaches in first-year jobs.All the grassroots-type things that happened initially and then being at LSU and being fortunate where Les Miles was able to entrust a portion of the team in my hands, and basically groom me for this position as the now head coach makes me smirk and say, '"Okay, this has certainly been a gratifying process, and I hope it continues to lead to the success of our program and this great city.'"
Although there are many questions UTSA fans have, there were several that Coach Wilson addressed to myself and the rest of the media.
BirdsUp: Are winning the in-state games against conference opponents such as North Texas, UTEP and Rice a key factor in recruiting purposes for the near and distant future?
Wilson: We don't necessarily think that those are must-win games for us to do well on the recruiting trail, however we want to win every game we play. We don't necessarily put those three teams ahead of any other conference or non-conference team we play. As a staff, we want guys who have our DNA. We want to find what fits for us, and I think with the approach we've taken in the short time we've been given to recruit has boded well for us moving forward.
BirdsUp: Where or what specific group needs the most improvement?
Wilson: We're a work in progress on every side of the ball; offense, defense and special teams. We know where we want to be and need to be, and I think the guys have bought into what myself and the rest of the coaching staff have expressed to take those strides and steps in the right direction. I don't think we have a specific position group on our team that has quote on quote 'arrived' ;nwe're blue collar and we're trying to find our way. Eventually we'll get there, but I think the overall team improvement is something we're going to continue to emphasize to allow us to get to where we need to be.
BirdsUp: Along with that blue-collar mentality, how have the players responded to that?
Wilson: The first day of full pads we held a drill called the 'Bird Cage' -- specifically a competition between teammates to build that team chemistry and cohesiveness to see where we stand as a program. I needed to know as a team how tough we are. It's important to make it fun, but you have to be tough in the Bird Cage.
It brings out who they are. It reveals itself. That guy has a little toughness, or that guy has some swagger about him. You can't fake it in the Bird Cage. That drill particular quickly identifies what type of players we have.
San Antonio Express-News: Do you let quarterbacks in the Bird Cage?
Wilson: (chuckles) No. We're not going to put our quarterbacks in there.
Wilson ended with a grateful statement to the city of San Antonio and the fans.
"We're going to give everything we have. We're committed to the cause of developing these young men, and the wins will take care of themselves while developing them the right way."
I felt like one of his players after a long, hot practice in the San Antonio heat being acknowledged and genuinely cared for as a human being.
Coach Wilson believes treating his players in more ways than X's and O's on a 100-yard long field will eventually lead to the success the Roadrunner faithful have been so eager to find.
"San Antonio was very appealing because of the vested interest the people in this city had in its lone FBS school," Wilson said. "I know with the people and my team I have on the field, if I get to know them, they'll in turn understand that I'm here, we're here as a coaching staff to give the team and this city a sense of stability.
"We're here, stable and in good hands."
Wilson said it was a no-brainer to come to UTSA, not only for his own interest of becoming a head coach, but because he knows it's a great opportunity to give back to the community of San Antonio what it deserves.
"I've been very fortunate over the last several years on staffs where a leadership role has fortunately been bestowed upon me," Wilson said. "I saw the grassroots of Larry Fedora being the first guy hired on his staff (University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill) along with many other first-year coaches in first-year jobs.All the grassroots-type things that happened initially and then being at LSU and being fortunate where Les Miles was able to entrust a portion of the team in my hands, and basically groom me for this position as the now head coach makes me smirk and say, '"Okay, this has certainly been a gratifying process, and I hope it continues to lead to the success of our program and this great city.'"
Although there are many questions UTSA fans have, there were several that Coach Wilson addressed to myself and the rest of the media.
BirdsUp: Are winning the in-state games against conference opponents such as North Texas, UTEP and Rice a key factor in recruiting purposes for the near and distant future?
Wilson: We don't necessarily think that those are must-win games for us to do well on the recruiting trail, however we want to win every game we play. We don't necessarily put those three teams ahead of any other conference or non-conference team we play. As a staff, we want guys who have our DNA. We want to find what fits for us, and I think with the approach we've taken in the short time we've been given to recruit has boded well for us moving forward.
BirdsUp: Where or what specific group needs the most improvement?
Wilson: We're a work in progress on every side of the ball; offense, defense and special teams. We know where we want to be and need to be, and I think the guys have bought into what myself and the rest of the coaching staff have expressed to take those strides and steps in the right direction. I don't think we have a specific position group on our team that has quote on quote 'arrived' ;nwe're blue collar and we're trying to find our way. Eventually we'll get there, but I think the overall team improvement is something we're going to continue to emphasize to allow us to get to where we need to be.
BirdsUp: Along with that blue-collar mentality, how have the players responded to that?
Wilson: The first day of full pads we held a drill called the 'Bird Cage' -- specifically a competition between teammates to build that team chemistry and cohesiveness to see where we stand as a program. I needed to know as a team how tough we are. It's important to make it fun, but you have to be tough in the Bird Cage.
It brings out who they are. It reveals itself. That guy has a little toughness, or that guy has some swagger about him. You can't fake it in the Bird Cage. That drill particular quickly identifies what type of players we have.
San Antonio Express-News: Do you let quarterbacks in the Bird Cage?
Wilson: (chuckles) No. We're not going to put our quarterbacks in there.
Wilson ended with a grateful statement to the city of San Antonio and the fans.
"We're going to give everything we have. We're committed to the cause of developing these young men, and the wins will take care of themselves while developing them the right way."
