By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
This is the eighth in a nine part, position-by-position series previewing the Razorbacks.
FAYETTEVILLE — Rick Jones can feel the anticipation building as the first football weekend inches closer.
He is preparing his Greenwood High team for another season, but admits another story will take hold of the town, too. It’s obvious in the coffee shops and restaurants, where football often dominates conversation. And in the halls of the high school, which is home to four state titles in six seasons.
“This is going to be the most nervous town in America next Saturday night,” Jones said. “We’ve been waiting for this. We all want him to do well.”
Him, of course, is Tyler Wilson. The Greenwood native who has waited … and waited … and waited for the chance to lead Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino’s offense up an hour up the road in Fayetteville.
He’s the former Greenwood quarterback who, after sitting behind star Daniel Stegall as a sophomore, led the Bulldogs to consecutive championships as a junior and a senior. And the quarterback who, in three seasons since, has toiled in relative obscurity (save for an autumn afternoon of unexpected brilliance at Auburn) while his cannon-armed, larger-than-life predecessor rewrote passing records.
Mark Buffalo • Arkansas News Bureau
Three days ago, as the Razorbacks crept closer to their season opener against Missouri State on Saturday night, Petrino made official what has long been suspected. Wilson — finally — was named Arkansas’ starting quarterback and steps into the spotlight to lead a team carrying championship hopes.
It’s an announcement Wilson, his family, and, of course, Greenwood has waited for with patience.
“You have to have the strength and the mental toughness and the heart to stick in there even when you’re not the guy,” Wilson said. “It can wear on you. There’s days where, mentally, you’re like, ‘Is this what I want to do?’ Then you just continue to grind it out and your day finally comes. That’s kind of the attitude I’ve had this whole time.”
A Different Course
It has served him well, following in the footsteps of the loud and proud Ryan Mallett. Wilson waited his time behind a quarterback who was vocal, brash, and oozed confidence with every word or rifled pass.
Mallett backed it up, too, setting record after record in two seasons as the starter. His arm strength became the stuff of legend with stories of 80-yard tosses. He was an in-your-face leader and an Arkansas guy, too, who parked cars for Razorbacks games as a youngster before wowing fans with his talents years later.
That’s not Wilson. Quiet, reserved and patient are traits more up his alley. But Wilson does share something in common with Mallett — he’s an Arkansas kid who played backyard football in Razorbacks gear.
“It’s every hometown kids dream that grows up in Arkansas to be the quarterback at the University of Arkansas,” said Brooks Coatney, Wilson’s cousin who is now the football coach at Van Buren High. “So, of course, that was Tyler’s dream as well.”
It was cultivated in a tight-knit family with deep roots to Greenwood. Wilson’s mother, Suzy, is a native. His grandfather, Dr. James Burgess, is a dentist who has been in business for decades.
The family was close, literally. Wilson’s grandparents lived just down the hill from his home in Greenwood. Coatney’s was even closer, saying they could “almost throw a football and hit each other’s house.” So it only made sense the young Wilson looked up to Coatney, who he is eight years older.
Coatney remembers it best by a picture on the front page of the local paper. The pee wee player smiled as he stood next to his cousin — who was then the star quarterback at Greenwood High. Both wore No. 11.
“What a great influence he was on Tyler,” Wilson’s father, Don, said. “We remember the days when Brooks was the quarterback here and we followed the Bulldogs all around. Brooks had a real prolific career. He set the bar and Tyler followed in his footsteps.”
Calm Under Fire
Wilson, of course, had to wait his turn. Patience has been the key characteristic in his football development, after all, so he spent his sophomore season at Greenwood watching someone Stegall star.
But it wasn’t long before Wilson landed at the controls of Jones’ spread offense, stepping in to replace Stegall in 2006. His coach soon realized the Bulldogs were in good hands with Wilson, too.
Wilson led Greenwood back to the state championship game against Pulaski Academy as a junior. There, he calmly threw a touchdown pass and completed another on a two-point conversion in the final seconds of a 56-55 win. It was Greenwood’s second straight title.
“I just remember Tyler looking me in the eyes and saying ‘What’s up? What’s the next play?,” Jones said. “He was just calm. It was as much pressure as any quarterback would be under and he was just like, ‘OK. What are we going to do here.’ We talked as calmly as we would sitting in my office.”
Sarah Bentham • Special to the Arkansas News Bureau
That’s why Jones has no doubt Wilson, who led Greenwood to another title his senior season, is ready to step in and replace another departed star.
Granted, Arkansas high school football is nothing compared to the Southeastern Conference. But Jones — like most of the country — saw glimpses of the same demeanor from his couch one Saturday last October.
Any fear for Arkansas’ future without Mallett disappeared in one afternoon on the Plains, when Wilson threw for 332 yards and 4 touchdowns at Auburn. It felt like a breakout performance. But teammates saw it coming.
“Tyler has really shown us he really can play and it’s not just the Auburn game,” Arkansas receiver Cobi Hamilton said. “He can help us win this year.”
Patience Pays Off
Arkansas isn’t in the business of handing out starting jobs to reward patience. Positions are earned, which is why Arkansas refused to name Wilson the starter until they evaluated every aspect of the competition between he and Brandon Mitchell.
But Wilson has survived three years of lessons in Petrino’s football boot camp.
It’s why he is carrying the starting quarterback label into the season.
“I certainly admire his tenacity and his fortitude during the whole process,” Don Wilson said. “It’s been a tough road. But it’s a journey I think has been good for Tyler. Whatever he does when he gets through, I’m pretty sure he can handle it because coach Petrino has put him through a lot of tests.”
Petrino and offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said Wilson’s skills will benefit Arkansas’ offense.
They point toward his arm strength, quick release, and ability to throw from different angles. It’s a skill that could come in handy, considering Arkansas is breaking in new offensive tackles this season.
But Petrino said Wilson proved something else in the offseason. While he may not be as boisterous as Mallett, he has gained respect. Wilson was named a team captain before preseason practice began.
Sarah Bentham • Special to the Arkansas News Bureau
“I think it really started when we came back from the bowl game,” Petrino said of Wilson’s growth as a quarterback. “You could see Tyler say, ‘Hey, this is my time. I’m going to do everything I possibly can do to win the job as the starting quarterback.’”
Wilson knows the job status doesn’t mean success is imminent. He understands work must be done daily to continue to prove he belongs in the position.
But he is thankful to finally have earned it.
“Obviously, I’ve been wanting this position for awhile and have been working toward it for awhile,” Wilson said. “I knew if I was patient and I waited my time I’d get my chance. And the day has come.”
The sense of accomplishment winds all the way to Greenwood. Jones said the town is filled with intrigue with the season near. Plenty of nerves, too.
They’re hoping Wilson’s high school success can be duplicated this season. They want the rest of the state to enjoy what they felt years ago, when a patient quarterback made the most of his opportunity.
“This is a huge deal,” Jones said. “This is a small town. So we all feel that he’s our guy.”
A Closer Look At … Quarterbacks
Best of the Bunch: Tyler Wilson is the obvious choice after winning the starting job. He is the only quarterback with legitimate experience on the roster, something the Hogs are hoping will help as they try to replace record-setter Ryan Mallett
Watch Out For: Brandon Mitchell may not be the starter, but should play plenty early on. Mitchell has improved as a passer and should be able to make plays with his feet. There’s a good chance the sophomore works as a change-of-pace player in 2011.
Biggest Strength: The new crop of Arkansas quarterbacks brings one added dimension to the game this season – the ability to run. Mallett didn’t move well in the pocket, but Arkansas is confident Wilson and Mitchell can make plays on the move this season.
Biggest Question: What happens if Wilson goes down with an injury? Arkansas was fortunate last year when Wilson excelled in relief of Mallett, shining against Auburn and Ole Miss. Is Mitchell experienced enough in the offense to do the same thing if needed?
Starter: Tyler Wilson, Jr. (34 of 51, 453 yards, 4 touchdowns, 3 interceptions in 2011)
Other Contributors: Brandon Mitchell, So.; Brandon Allen, Fr.; Jacoby Walker, RS-Fr.; Brian Buehner, RS-Fr.;
That Figures: 447 — Arkansas’ single-game passing yardage record, which was set in the 2009 opener against Missouri State. Mallett (309 yards) and Wilson (138) teamed to set the mark. They also share the second-highest (428 at Auburn in 2010) and third-highest (417 vs. Vanderbilt in 2010) at Arkansas.
Quotable: “We’ve been working hard in the last week and two weeks to see where he’s at, what he can handle. … We’ve got to wait and see. We’ve got to prepare him as if he’s going to play up through next week. Maybe by the end of the week we’ll have a decision. Maybe we’ll just keep going with it and see where it plays out.” — Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino on his plans for true freshman Brandon Allen
— Robbie Neiswanger • Arkansas News Bureau
