Player Profile: Austin Wilson (with VIDEO)
By ADAM PRUIETT
adamp@nwfdailynews.com
DEFUNIAK SPRINGS - In Lenny Jankowski's experience, asking a defensive lineman to switch to linebacker never yields dissent or even the slightest gripe.
The Walton football coach certainly could use Austin Wilson's reaction to making the move as Exhibit A.
"I wasn't really bummed out about it," Wilson recalled, "because I was like, ‘Ummm, I get to hit people. I'll get an extra 5-yard burst.' "
And how about now that he's practiced at the position and got a feel for what it's like?
"It is the bomb, the best position ever," Wilson said with giddy approval. "I thought defensive end was great, but linebacker is just awesome. You just unleash your fury. And the blitzes - oh, my God. When coach calls us a blitz, you're like, ‘Yes!' It's just amazing."
It's that unbridled enthusiasm and willingness to perform any task that will benefit the team from the 6-foot-1, 220-pound senior that draws admiration from Jankowski. But don't get him wrong - charisma can only take you so far, and he switched Wilson because he's got the tools to be a forceful presence at linebacker.
"It's his experience, strength and athleticism," Jankowski said. "Like most coaches, we like to keep our speed on defense. It was easier for us to move him to linebacker and find another defensive lineman than it would be to just try to invent another linebacker and keep him on the defensive line."
Wilson was an All-Area defensive lineman last season when the Braves went 8-2. He's hoping for the same success at linebacker that he had up front, where he recorded 43 tackles, including 23 solo stops and seven sacks.
"I think he'll continue to get better as the year goes on," Jankowski said. "We need him to really excel at the position from midway through the season to be able to carry over to the end and the playoff stretch."
Wilson isn't just expected to make an impact on defense. He's returning to the offensive line - where he hasn't played since he was an underclassman - at right tackle to help beef up the Braves' high-octane scoring attack.
"We like our offensive line to be athletic, so Austin is one of, if not our strongest player in the weightroom and physically, conditioning-wise, he's not afraid to work to condition himself to play on both sides of the ball," Jankowski said.
Coupled with his talent, Jankowski lists an intangible that will lead Wilson to get swiftly acclimated to linebacker.
"He's the type of guy from a coaching standpoint that is going to try to win every sprint," Jankowski said, "he's going to work his tail off in the weightroom and that carries over onto the field."
