By BY BRUCE HIXON – sports editor
Daniel Wilson admits one of his career goals was to get the opportunity to coach at his alma mater. What the new T.R. Miller Tigers offensive line coach did not expect was for the opportunity to come this quickly.
Wilson, who graduated from T.R. Miller in 1999 and later played at Belhaven College in Mississippi, said his position on the Tigers staff was more than just a chance to come home.
Wilson began his coaching career at Monroe Academy and spent two seasons as offensive and defensive line coach with that program. Last season Wilson took an assistant coaching position at Sparta Academy. Wilson was abruptly elevated to the head coaching position six games into the season when the preceding coach resigned. Sparta Academy was 0-6 at the time Wilson took over. It went 2-2 the rest of the way.
While his head coaching stint was brief, Wilson said it was beneficial.
Wilson said one of his toughest adjustments is that many of his current co-workers used to be his teachers.
Wilson said this season is probably a good time to work his way into the T.R. Miller program.
T.R. Miller has struggled to find bodies of 200 pounds or more up front the last couple of years, and that will be true again this year. Wilson said that makes a player's technique even more important.