Texas Southern first-year coach Cris Dishman is quick to tell anyone that he doesn’t have starters at any position.
Practices determine all 33 starting spots.
So either Jace Wilson, last year’s starting quarterback for all but the season opener, didn’t practice well enough or transfer KJ Cooper was better to earn the nod over the 2023 SWAC Newcomer of the Year.
But an injury to Cooper in the season-opening win over Prairie View has put Wilson back in control of the Tigers’ offense. Like last season, it hasn’t gone as smoothly for the junior from Mayde Creek, but this past Saturday night Wilson and his ability to lead put TSU in position to upend Grambling State, 24-17, comeback style at Shell Energy Stadium.
Wilson didn’t have eye-popping numbers but he made enough plays with his legs, arm and ability to think the game through to deliver the Tigers to their first win at Shell Energy Stadium this season.
“He commanded. He came in and took control,” Dishman said. “Jace has played a lot of games here. He was not rattled when the score got tied. He just calmed the team down.”
Wilson, who was thrown into action last year when Andrew Body got injured, has been in every scenario imaginable. So it was nothing when the 5-foot-11 QB was suddenly faced with a 17-17 early in the fourth quarter.
The moment also wasn’t too big for Wilson late in the fourth quarter drive when the Tigers drove 75 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown on Quinn Quintell’s two-yard touchdown run. In late-game situations where TSU has fallen apart, this time Wilson’s leadership and knowledge helped the Tigers succeed.
During critical drives, Wilson quickly analyzed GSU’s defense and understood where the weakness was.
“Some of those situations when they dropped eight or dropped seven and nobody is accounting for the quarterback so when I drop back and I see everybody covered, the only thing I have left to do is hit the check down and take off,” said Wilson, who ran for 78 yards and a touchdown and passed for 128 yards on the day. “It’s just natural, just playing the game and not thinking too much and just being an athlete.”
Even though Wilson could be back coming off the bench this week depending on how practices go this week, he is keenly aware of the Tigers’ need and what’s at stake as they attempt to salvage a challenging season. They are 3-4 overall and 2-2 in SWAC (tied third in the division) play but have hopes of challenging for the West Division title if they can win out these last four games with a tough road trip to Florida A&M on deck Saturday.
“Whatever the situation is, by any means necessary we have to come out with a W,” said Wilson, who began his collegiate career at Furman before transferring to TSU in 2023. “That’s our situation this season. We’ve got to win out. We can’t lose anymore. Just everybody having that mindset and staying on one accord going forward is going to help us.”
