Super 30: Del City's Terry Wilson learned to be a leader
“I’m really kind of a quiet guy, but I speak up when it’s time,” said Wilson, who is No. 3 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 recruit rankings. “The guys know when it’s time for them to get on the horse, too."
Daily Oklahoman
by Scott Wright Published: July 23, 2015
Del City quarterback Terry Wilson has committed to the University of Nebraska. [Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman]
DEL CITY — The huddle wasn’t always a comfortable place for Terry Wilson.
As a quarterback, that’s not a good quality. But when the soft-spoken Wilson was a young player at Del City, he watched the quarterbacks before him. He listened to how his coaches took command of the team in practice.
And he began to find his voice.
“I’m really kind of a quiet guy, but I speak up when it’s time,” said Wilson, who is No. 3 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 recruit rankings. “The guys know when it’s time for them to get on the horse, too.
“I’ve always known that as a quarterback, you have to be more verbal, be demanding at some points. I’m glad I was able to pick that up, because it’s a great thing to have that ‘Hey guys, let’s get it. We gotta go,’ type of voice, so that you know they’re gonna follow.”
Wilson’s leadership skills are a big part of what has attracted multiple programs to him. Arizona State, Colorado, Texas Tech, Indiana and Houston were among the dozen programs that offered Wilson a scholarship before he committed to Nebraska in May. Oregon came through with an offer not long after his commitment, but Wilson is set on the Cornhuskers.
Of course, leadership is only part of the package. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior has a rocket arm and was clocked at 4.52 seconds in the 40-yard dash in a camp at Nebraska earlier this summer.
The physical gifts were always there, though. Wilson’s maturity as a leader is the biggest difference between being a talented player and a well-rounded quarterback.
Teammate Walter Watson has watched the transformation over the last three years, noticing Wilson’s ability to walk into a room and know whether it’s time for work or time for fun.
“He’s a laid-back person, and we like to play around a lot,” said Watson, a Division I prospect as a defensive lineman with an offer from Missouri State. “When it’s time to get serious, he gets serious.
“He’s a leader in the huddle now. He makes sure everyone knows where to line up, receivers know their routes. He’s really vocal. He wasn’t always like that. He grew into that role in his sophomore year when he knew he was the quarterback.”
Wilson was never an in-your-face-type of leader before, but to be a top-level quarterback, a player needs to know how to get his teammates’ eyes on him.
“Coach (Nick) Warehime had to break me out of my shell,” Wilson said. “I had to get comfortable with that, because I’m not usually in guys’ faces — but I can be. What I learned is that it’s all your friends out there on the field with you, and you can’t be worrying about, ‘Oh, that’s my best friend, so I can’t get on to him, or he’s not gonna like me.’
“It’s part of the game. They have to respect you, or you can’t be a good leader.”
“I’m really kind of a quiet guy, but I speak up when it’s time,” said Wilson, who is No. 3 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 recruit rankings. “The guys know when it’s time for them to get on the horse, too."
Daily Oklahoman
by Scott Wright Published: July 23, 2015
Del City quarterback Terry Wilson has committed to the University of Nebraska. [Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman]
DEL CITY — The huddle wasn’t always a comfortable place for Terry Wilson.
As a quarterback, that’s not a good quality. But when the soft-spoken Wilson was a young player at Del City, he watched the quarterbacks before him. He listened to how his coaches took command of the team in practice.
And he began to find his voice.
“I’m really kind of a quiet guy, but I speak up when it’s time,” said Wilson, who is No. 3 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 recruit rankings. “The guys know when it’s time for them to get on the horse, too.
“I’ve always known that as a quarterback, you have to be more verbal, be demanding at some points. I’m glad I was able to pick that up, because it’s a great thing to have that ‘Hey guys, let’s get it. We gotta go,’ type of voice, so that you know they’re gonna follow.”
Wilson’s leadership skills are a big part of what has attracted multiple programs to him. Arizona State, Colorado, Texas Tech, Indiana and Houston were among the dozen programs that offered Wilson a scholarship before he committed to Nebraska in May. Oregon came through with an offer not long after his commitment, but Wilson is set on the Cornhuskers.
Of course, leadership is only part of the package. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior has a rocket arm and was clocked at 4.52 seconds in the 40-yard dash in a camp at Nebraska earlier this summer.
The physical gifts were always there, though. Wilson’s maturity as a leader is the biggest difference between being a talented player and a well-rounded quarterback.
Teammate Walter Watson has watched the transformation over the last three years, noticing Wilson’s ability to walk into a room and know whether it’s time for work or time for fun.
“He’s a laid-back person, and we like to play around a lot,” said Watson, a Division I prospect as a defensive lineman with an offer from Missouri State. “When it’s time to get serious, he gets serious.
“He’s a leader in the huddle now. He makes sure everyone knows where to line up, receivers know their routes. He’s really vocal. He wasn’t always like that. He grew into that role in his sophomore year when he knew he was the quarterback.”
Wilson was never an in-your-face-type of leader before, but to be a top-level quarterback, a player needs to know how to get his teammates’ eyes on him.
“Coach (Nick) Warehime had to break me out of my shell,” Wilson said. “I had to get comfortable with that, because I’m not usually in guys’ faces — but I can be. What I learned is that it’s all your friends out there on the field with you, and you can’t be worrying about, ‘Oh, that’s my best friend, so I can’t get on to him, or he’s not gonna like me.’
“It’s part of the game. They have to respect you, or you can’t be a good leader.”
