Replacing a Hall-of-Fame quarterback is a difficult thing. Just ask new Indianapolis Colts signal-caller Andrew Luck, who has the unenviable task of taking over for NFL legend Peyton Manning.
Elon University senior quarterback Thomas Wilson had that responsibility placed on him in 2011. He had to find a way to play football at possibly the most crucial position in the game in the shadow of Elon Hall-of-Famer Scott Riddle, the program’s all-time leading passer in completions (1,168), yards (13,264) and touchdowns (106), all by a mile.
And it weighed on him.
“I definitely felt him,” Wilson said. “I don’t want to say that I’ve ever tried to live up to be as good as Scott or be Scott Riddle. But I definitely felt that, with him graduating and me being the next guy to step up, I guess you could see how I kind of stepped into his shadow.”
Wilson came to Elon in 2008 in the midst of Riddle’s run as a four-year starter at quarterback and was his backup in 2010. When Riddle graduated, it was time for Wilson to step up.
“I don’t want to sit here and try and compare myself to Scott or anyone else in the past, or anyone here in the present,” Wilson said last August. “I’m just trying to get in there and manage the game and do what a quarterback has to do to win football games.”
Wilson did a lot in his first year. He led the Southern Conference and ranked 13th in the nation with 3,057 passing yards, becoming just the second QB at Elon to eclipse the 3,000-yard passing mark (guess who was the first). His 23 touchdowns tied for the third-highest total in Elon history.
But there were some struggles.
“I think if you look at the history of the game and anyone that followed a Hall-of-Fame, retired jersey quarterback, (they) didn’t have success,” Elon head football coach Jason Swepson said. “I can’t imagine the pressure that he went through a year ago.”
[quote]I don’t want to say that I’ve ever tried to live up to be as good as Scott or be Scott Riddle. But I definitely felt that, with him graduating and me being the next guy to step up, I guess you could see how I kind of stepped into his shadow - Senior quarterback Thomas Wilson[/quote]
Wilson had the second-most interceptions (21) in the Football Championship Subdivision, one behind sophomore Brady Attaway at Stephen F. Austin University. And dealing with turnovers is something he said he learned a lot about.
“As an offense, you’re not going to win football games turning the ball over,” he said. “Turnovers has been a huge thing that we’ve been working on throughout the spring and over the summer, and now into preseason camp — decreasing the amount of turnovers, protecting the ball, interceptions, fumbles, things of that nature. And we’ve definitely cut back on those, so that’s been a huge step for us, with the turnover margin.”
Swepson sympathetically expects a change, as well as an explanation for some of those turnovers.
“Hopefully, the ball bounces our way,” he said. “After watching the cut-ups from a year ago, there were about 10 of those interceptions that were batted balls that bounced a funny way. If Lady Luck can be on our side this year and we can cut those numbers into single digits, then we’re going to be able to win a lot more football games.”
There were a few Wilson interceptions where the ball took a bounce off a receiver’s hands or a defensive player made a magnificent play. But with a grasp of Swepson and offensive coordinator Chris Pincince’s offensive system, he hopes to change things around from that high number of picks.
“It wasn’t something that I wanted to accomplish last year,” Wilson said. “It wasn’t good and it probably was one of the main reasons we were 5-6 and had a losing record. (It’s) one of the things I’ve worked on and taken responsibility for in the offseason. We’ve cut down on the turnovers throughout the spring, throughout practice, throughout training camp. It’s been a good process for me. The whole learning process has been good, and hopefully we can cut down on turnovers, fumbles and interceptions, throughout the whole season."
A preseason all-SoCon second-team selection, Wilson hopes to have a winning record and be playing for a SoCon championship at the end of the season. He points to the first few games of the conference season as a place to get a hot start: at 2011 conference champion and FCS semifinalist Georgia Southern University Sept. 22 and powerhouses Wofford College at home Sept. 29. Plus, a big rematch with Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., Oct. 6.
“Playing them early is going to be a test for us, but I think we’ll be ready for it,” he said. “If we can take care of business early on in the season, hopefully we can finish strong and be contending for a SoCon championship at the end.”
Personally, Wilson wants that first team all-SoCon selection.
“I’m definitely humbled and honored to be named second team SoCon, but definitely want to get my name up there on the first team after this year," he said. "That’s one of my personal goals and, if I’m up there as a first team SoCon quarterback, it will only help us as a team get better.”
And now he believes he’s out of the Scott Riddle shadow.
“After our first game in Vanderbilt (Sept. 3, 2011), I felt more comfortable about everything and wasn’t worried as much about trying to fill the shoes of Scott or trying to be in his shadow,” he said.
And Swepson sees the same thing.
“I think that burden is off his shoulders, and I think he’s being himself and is the true leader of this program,” he said. “I think this year is a different situation. I don’t think he has that pressure anymore.”