Josh Wilson calls himself “The Truth.”
Anyone who has received his autograph might wonder why Maryland?s senior defensive back adds such a moniker to his signature. Just ask him. He?ll be more than willing to tell you.
“The truth is, I don?t think you guys can handle ?The Truth,?” Wilson said with a laugh.
Neither do opposing quarterbacks and wide receivers. The 5-foot-9, 187-pound corner has shut down his half of the field all season despite playing against bigger, more physical Atlantic Coast Conference wideouts.
“Josh is a guy who is a gamer,” Terps coach Ralph Friedgen said. “He is hard-nosed on every play, and that is in practice or in the game. He just gives us everything he has.”
That?s all Wilson wants to do ? play hard and be himself.
“I want to just play football like Iknow how to play football and speak the truth,” the marketing major said. “I thought this team was very good at the beginning of the season even when [naysayers] thought I was crazy.”
Now, Wilson and the Terps are 8-2 with a berth in the ACC title game within reach. Wilson?s late father, Tim, was a fullback at Maryland and helped lead the Terps to ACC titles in his three years on campus in 1974-76.
“It is special to me that his mom and dad are also Terps,” Friedgen said. “Tim Wilson was also a very good football player and a very good person.”
Tim eventually became the lead blocker for NFL Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell of the Houston Oilers. Now, the younger Wilson has NFL aspirations, too. Football prospect Web site Scout.com projects that Wilson could be chosen in the top two rounds of April?s NFL draft.
“He?s one of the top five corners in the country,” said teammate Wesley Jefferson, a junior linebacker. “What he brings to the game is that exciting-play ability from a corner.”
Jefferson said that Wilson exudes confidence, like most corners.
“Sometimes those guys think they?re God?s gift,” Jefferson said.
And the truth behind The Truth?s nickname?
“Nobody calls him that,” Jefferson said with a smile.
TWO-WAY WILSON
» Josh Wilson hasn?t intercepted a pass this year, but he has broken up 12 passes and recorded two sacks among 43 total tackles. He has started all 10 games this year, and 25 in his career.
» Wilson is also the Terps? main kick-return specialist, averaging 29.6 yards per return, including a 100-yard touchdown against Georgia Tech.
