Article

Mavericks cornerback improves his game

MSU coach: Wilson faster, smarter this season

Published: September 01, 2005 12:11 am
By Chad Courrier
The Free Press
Mankato

Nick Wilson recognized the scheme, knew which pattern was coming. Northwest Missouri State had a second-and-4 from its own 7-yard line, and Wilson correctly read that the receiver would run a hitch pattern.

The receiver did, and the Minnesota State cornerback broke on the play, thinking he had an easy interception and touchdown that would have put the Mavericks up 28-21 midway through the fourth quarter.

"I thought I was walking into the end zone," Wilson said. "It's a game of inches."

However, he just missed the pass, and the receiver made the reception, turning upfield for a 16-yard gain and a key first down. Northwest Missouri State eventually prevailed 24-21 in overtime.

"That's the type of stuff that I and the rest of the defense have to do better," Wilson said. "It's the little things, we just about made some great plays, but we didn't and we lost."

Wilson, a junior from Mankato West, finished with a career-high nine tackles against Northwest Missouri State, which has one of the top corps of receivers that the Mavericks will face all season. He made one tackle for loss and broke up two passes, nearly getting his hands on another interception that would have stopped the Bearcats' opening drive.

"Nick had an excellent offseason," coach Jeff Jamrog said. "He improved his speed, he looks more bulked up, he understands the schemes better.

"He made some great open-field tackles against a talented group of receivers."

Wilson, though just 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, plays with confidence gained by a season's experience. His contribution as a true freshman was as the kick returner, averaging 19.8 yards per attempt, and reserve defensive back.

He started all 11 games last season, making 45 tackles and an interception and fumble recovery. When Jamrog started recruiting other cornerbacks, Wilson wasn't intimidated, rather inspired to increase his training, leading one assistant coach to say that Wilson could be an all-conference performer this season.

"They bring in new guys every year," Wilson said. "If I keep doing my thing, I'll be fine. I didn't freak out, I knew we were trying to build some depth and make us a better team."

Jamrog said that Wilson will face many challenges from North Central Conference receivers this season, but Wilson has become a student of the game, spending hours watching film.

"He's worked so hard," Jamrog said. "There's no substitute for experience."

Wilson said he feels much improved, having made similar gains in each of his three seasons at Minnesota State. He feels that going to practice each day, working against the Mavericks' talented set of receivers has helped him tremendously so that on game day, he's prepared.

He feels good about the team's performance in the season-opener, though disappointed by the outcome.

"It's hard to say you had a good game or a bad game because it was such a tough loss," Wilson said. "I was prepared, the team was prepared. There are a lot of things we need to work on, but there were some plusses, too."

 

Pat Christman

Minnesota State cornerback Nick Wilson had a career-high nine tackles in last week's opener against Northwest Missouri State.