Kevin Wilson ready to put his stamp on the TU program
The vibe that emanates from new Tulsa coach Kevin Wilson has sort of a John Cooper feel to it.
Definitely old school. And in a good way.
Although College Hall of Famer Cooper was 39 when he took over as head coach at TU in 1977, and Wilson is 61, both Cooper and Wilson are guys who don't sugarcoat things.
They say what they believe. And don't hold back.
If Wilson can have similar success at TU as Cooper did from 1977-1984, where Cooper was 57-31 in 8 seasons, including winning seasons in his last 7 years, Wilson's tenure will be considered a smash success.
Wilson, his new offensive coordinator, Steve Spurrier Jr., and his new defensive coordinator, Matt Guerrieri, were at the noon press conference at TU on Wednesday to give the press and the public more of an idea of what they are about.
With the transfer portal seemingly being on steroids lately, taking on a life of its own, Wilson has made a splash in the portal since his hiring at TU. Retaining quarterback Braylon Braxton, among others who had entered the portal when former coach Philip Montgomery was let go, was a priority.
But gaining five noteworthy newcomers to TU through the portal has also made waves as well.
The portal, honoring previous commitments and scholarships, and many other things were on the agenda to talk about at the press conference.
And Wilson, with his combination of bluntness and humor, got to the point.
"We had a couple of kids who had committed who didn't want to sign, and we told them that was fine," Wilson said. "They have the option to do that. Just like we told the kids up here the other day that they have the option to be in the portal.
"Once you go in the portal, you have the option not to renew the scholarship. That's not a bad deal either. You know, sometimes there's addition by subtraction, so it's a two-way street."
With Wilson, like Cooper, most players have loved to play for them once they get to know them. But not all will feel that way. Which is not a tragedy. Those are the types that, quite frankly, need to hit the road.
Wilson and Cooper both have the Ohio State link as well, with Wilson serving as offensive coordinator from 2017-2022, and Cooper serving as head coach for the Buckeyes from 1988-2000.
Comments Wilson made about some players from last year's team and their lack of study habits are not exactly from the PC mode, either.
Good. It needed to be said. Call them out without stating names. Winning programs don't need to put up with that. Especially at a school with high academic standards and the high caliber of the University of Tulsa.
"If you had the GPA that certain players had, I question how many times you went to class, what are you doing with your time," Wilson said. "I don't know if they were playing video games. I don't know what they are doing.
"And when you look at certain GPA's, I wasn't here, but you have to work hard to have that low a GPA a couple of times. And we have some unbelievable 4.0's. I saw some high end and some low ends. And we've got to figure out why."
Wilson isn't going to put up with academic nonsense from his players, or any other nonsense, for that matter. He isn't wasting time in trying to find winners to coach.
When taking over for a fired coach, there are always issues to deal with. And no-nonsense coaches like Wilson or Cooper, often don't mince words.
Such was the case when Cooper took over Ohio State. His first team there stunk.
Cooper drew the ire of Ohio State fans his first year when he said the talent he had at Tulsa when he left was better than what he took over at Ohio State. And while critics may have laughed at that, Tulsa did have five defensive linemen on his last Tulsa roster who played in the NFL. So Cooper wasn't lying.
Spurrier Jr. and Wilson go way back. Spurrier, with his famous dad, has been part of a vacationing group with Wilson's family for years. Their offensive backgrounds are very similar, with prolific passing offenses.
They were even on the same staff at OU for a month before Spurrier Jr. followed his dad to coach for the Washington Redskins. While at OU, Spurrier won a national title in 2000 under Bob Stoops. Spurrier also won a national title while on his father's staff at Florida.
"I'm impressed with Coach Wilson's enthusiasm," Spurrier said. "I think he came with his feet on the ground running."
When Wilson called Spurrier about coming to Tulsa, there was zero hesitation.
"We were coaching the game that Monday, he said, 'where are you going,' and I said, ' I'm going to try to go to the convention for a few days,' and he said 'no, get in the car and drive here'," Spurrier said. "So I drove from Starkville to here. I got here last Thursday.
"I think we had six guys in on official visits, and I think all of them want to come here to Tulsa and play for Coach Wilson, and I think all of them are defensive guys. I was impressed with all the work that was done to get those guys here in this program."
Spurrier talked about how Wilson isn't going to be shy about being involved in all aspects at TU.
"He was at everything. He was at every academic event. He was in the weight room and putting his voice and his touch on everything he did," Spurrier said. "And making sure these men knew he is going to be here in everything we do, and this is how we are going to do it."
"My family hangs out with his family. I'm just really excited to be here and work with the offense with him."
As far as the transfer portal, the five who have come all have ties to the area in some way. Three -- Bixby WR/RB Braylin Presley, and DB's Kanion Williams and Demarco Jones -- are from Oklahoma State. Booker T. Washington DB Keuan Parker is from the University of Arkansas.
And former 4-star linebacker Julien Simon is from USC, but his brother is TU defensive lineman Jayden Simon - who was a Colorado transfer last season.
For Wilson, the old school part of him still believes in developing players from high school. Although a bit skeptical of the portal, he knows he needs it.
"If we go portal, it is buyer beware," Wilson said. "You just better make sure what you buy."
Wilson has had early good impressions of TU since arriving.
"I think the functionality of the setup is pretty good," Wilson said. "We're small enough so we can stay pretty connected. I've been impressed with the vibe of the kids. I've been impressed with our body types. We've got work to do."
Showing his humorous side, Wilson joked about a recent positive driving experience in Tulsa.
"I was in the wrong lane, I didn't realize it, I put my turn signal on, and somebody politely stopped and let me slide in," Wilson said. "They didn't honk the horn. I appreciate the friendliness."
From the sound of it, Wilson expects to do well this season.
It is uncertain how much Spurrier or Wilson will be calling plays on offense. It is up in the air. And as uncertain about what type of defensive scheme Guerrieri will run. It will depend on what type of talent is there. The scheme will fit the talent.
"We've got good players on offense," Wilson said. "We've got a chance to be pretty good."
While Wilson is trying to retain players, and has been successful at doing so, it is clear that he isn't going to let a few that leave bother him.
"I've been impressed with the kids," Wilson said of his new team. "We've got some guys who are going to jump on, and some guys who are going to jump off. But I like where we are starting. It's going to be a lot of fun."