Kamari Wilson using various past experiences to be a difference-maker in WVU’s secondary
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MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia football safety Kamari Wilson shows the bright side of the controversial transfer portal. Wilson has transferred three times now over his five-year college football career. He started at Florida, committing from IMG. Two years went by, and Wilson went to Arizona State, where he won a Big 12 championship. After one season, he went to Memphis for a year before arriving in Morgantown.
It wasn't like he wasn't playing either. Wilson played at Florida as a true freshman, playing in 13 games and starting in two. He played the most snaps of any true freshman in the FBS. At Arizona State, he played in 11 games. Then, last year at Memphis, Wilson started 12 games and was tied for the team-most interceptions with two.
"It was all about opportunity, and like I said, who would develop me as a man?" Wilson said. "That was the most thing that I was looking for. To be around great people, and who could develop me as a man. That was a great spot for me, and they definitely developed me as a man, and I developed a lot of character there as well."
The Mountaineers were the third and final stop for Wilson. Wilson felt he had an opportunity to play at the Power Four level, and Rich Rodriguez was the leader he needed to make him into a better player and man.
"It’s the hard edge culture," Wilson said. "It’s the hard edge mentality. Just from a young age and growing up where I came from, Fort Pierce, Florida, that standard is something I live and hold my whole life, and that’s another reason why I came here. I wanted to be challenged, and just like Rich Rod says, the better man you are, the better football player you are, and that’s very important."
Wilson is already making an impact in the secondary, and WVU's defensive backs needed it. The Mountaineers don't have a single returning starter in the third level. Defensive tackle Nate Gabriel talked about how No. 8 (Wilson's number) is one of the vocal leaders on the defense.
"Kamari’s going to be a really good player," Rodriguez said. "He's one of those guys got a lot of experience. Played really good football. It’s been a seamless transition for him here."
Being on so many different teams has helped in a couple of ways.
Defensive coordinator Zac Alley's defense is known for being complex. There's a lot of pre-snap motion, and he loads up the blitzers. It can be confusing.
Since Wilson's been in multiple different schemes, he can pick up similarities to what he's done in the past, which has made it easier to pick up than most.
"I know that West Virginia is the best place for me because I feel like every place I went and played in the scheme is just like all in one, and it’s similar things," Wilson said. "I do what I already did before, so it’s really nothing different for me, just a different name. That’s a good thing for me, honestly."
Wilson's played for three different head coaches before coming to WVU. He's played for even more position coaches. Wilson has seen a lot of different ways to lead.
As a veteran on the team, with a lot of experience, Wilson has become a leader, as Gabriel said. It also helped that Wilson can relate to the true freshmen, and there are a lot of them, about playing right away since he played in the SEC in his first season of college football. Having been around different stops, he knows what works and what doesn't.
"Just being around a lot of coaches, which are leaders of men, it taught me how to be a better leader because I saw a lot of different various of leaders,” Wilson said. "It helped me."
It might've been a lot of changing apartments, a lot of plane trips and learning names, but Wilson's looked at only positives from switching schools so many times. Wilson and Rodriguez hope his experience helps a secondary that was torched by explosive plays last season.
With all the knowledge, Wilson probably learned how to fix that issue as well.
"It feels like he's been around forever because he's got a great personality," Rodriguez said. "Guys gravitate towards him. Been really pleased how he's played since he's been here, but also how he's fit into West Virginia football"