UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 18, 2023

Rashad Wisdom

Press Conference

UTSA 49, South Florida 21

Q. Rashad, what are your emotions right now?

RASHAD WISDOM: You know, definitely excited we got a win, especially with this being my last time playing here. I was telling some of the guys that I was fortunate enough to win my very first game here and very last one.

So definitely hoping that we can try to play one more here. I mean, regardless, I'm blessed to have had this last win and go out the way we did.

But at the end of the day we still got a lot more we got to go take care of. We got a good opponent, Tulane next week, and still got a bowl game to go play. Still a lot more on the table to go take care of. Regardless, happy with the result at the end of the day tonight.

Q. What were the emotions like this week and last night, and of course Senior Night activities? What was it like for those guys and you?

RASHAD WISDOM: For me personally, you know, things take a minute to settle in for me, so things didn't really start hitting me until Thursday morning. Sitting in my apartment I was like, dang, man, this thing is really coming to an end. Just coming to that realization.

But a lot of guys were emotional. Frank really started -- Frank started breaking down in his senior speech talking about all the stuff he's been through here and how far we have come. A lot of other guys were saying pretty much how grateful, thankful they were for the time here, regardless if this was their only season here or they been here the whole time since I've been here.

You know, we are all on the same page. We still got a lot more to go get done. I mean, I feel like that's the way it should be. I mean, definitely got to take this all in because this is the last time for a lot of us.

At the end of the day, we still got work to get done. I mean, still got a lot more stuff to look forward to as well.

Q. Frank had 500 yards by himself; the offense had 600.

RASHAD WISDOM: He was a beast.

Q. What was that like for you guys on the defense seeing the offense do that tonight?

RASHAD WISDOM: It's always a good feeling seeing the opposite side of the ball doing what they're supposed to be doing. The way they were handling things tonight, airing it out, the way the receivers are attacking the ball, people were blocking, I get really excited watching good football, watching good football and watching -- you know what I mean, people doing their 1/11th, and sound off for teammates. It gets my excited watching good football.

I'm just glad we were able to go do that tonight, send the seniors out right. I remember just last year and the years prior just being the younger guy like, man, I want to send the seniors out right. That's kind of what I told the younger guys tonight, man, because when it's their time they're going to want the same thing.

Make sure we do what we got to do and finish this thing off right, and we did just that.

Q. Their offense ran 25 plays in the first three drives and then only 30 in the next eight. Curious what changed for the defense after the first couple series?

RASHAD WISDOM: I think we just settled into their tempo finally. I was saying on the radio show that regardless, the first drive of every game is always difficult. Always feel winded. Got to get acclimated to it.

But especially going against a tempo team, man, you just got to get a feel for the tempo, how fast they're going, what they're trying to do.

With a lot of tempo teams their plays can't be too complex. That's why they're able to go so fast.

So being able to get a feel for what they're trying to do and get acclimated to their tempo, and I feel like after about the first, like you said, first two, three drives of that, and finally able to settle down and be able to play our brand of ball.

Coaches did a great job getting us prepared this week. They showed us a ridiculous tempo in practice that we probably would never ever see. That's just part of it. Practice needs to be harder than the game so the game can be simpler and more slowed down.

So like I said, we just finally were able to settle in and go play our ball.

Q. What was your message like when you gave your senior speech?

RASHAD WISDOM: I didn't say everything I wanted to say. I started saying a lot of stuff, forgetting a lot of stuff. I was like, all right, well, thank ya'll. (Laughing.)

I just remember coming up here, getting up here and I was 17, and now I'm leaving at 22. It's crazy. Time really flies. I was talking about how I remember watching my dog, Carl Austin, going up and giving his senior speech and I was sitting there like, man, I'm going to be up there, and now it's here. The whole thing just got me.

My family isn't originally from here. Originally from New York, and of all the places we could've landed in, we ended up moving to Converse, Texas.

I remember coming up to the Dome actually for the UTSA camps, and me and Bryce, coach were taking a picture with him, and going through my recruitment then I ended up here.

So I just think it's crazy just the whole path of me getting here and being able to play and everything that we've accomplished here.

It's been a great ride, a great journey. Like I said, we still got a lot more to get done. Couple things that still haven't been done here yet like with the bowl game. That is definitely something I would like to check off here before it's all said and done.

Q. What does it mean now that you've got to this point in the season undefeated in conference and you have this huge showdown with Tulane coming up?

RASHAD WISDOM: It's exciting for sure. Going to be a great football game. Two great teams playing against each other in primetime on Black Friday, and it's going to be exciting for sure.

I am looking forward to the matchup. You know, this one is for all the marbles. It's for whoever goes to conference from our side. Pretty much may the best man win, so go out there and just be us at the end of the day.

Q. You had a season high eight tackles. How much of that performance was fueled by the emotions of Senior Night?

RASHAD WISDOM: I would probably say a little bit of it. I mean, just knowing that this is probably my last time here, just want to go out with a bang. Definitely wish I could have got a pick, but it's all good, man.

I'm happy with the win. That was the biggest thing, just make sure we went out in the right way. Didn't want to walk off the field thinking I could have gave more. I left it all out there tonight, and I am satisfied with what I was able to do, to say the least.

Really proud of the way the team played. We went out there, like I said, had to settle in at first, but once we did that things really started getting fun and just playing us, being us.

We are really a goofy team if you watch how we do after plays. But, yeah, playing with my guys is fun. Like I said, I'm just happy the way we went out for this last one.

Q. I know you've been through a lot here. I was just thinking about everything you've been through. How often do you think about Bryce, and did you have him on your mind tonight?

RASHAD WISDOM: You know, it's crazy because I have him on my mind a lot. Not having him here tonight was a little something, but I don't know if ya'll really seen, but all the other people around me I feel like kind of filled that spot.

I don't have any sisters, but I had two little girls out there with me -- I won't say not little -- I had two girls out there with me and I called them my sisters. One of them was Bryce's girlfriend while he was still here and the other one is her little sister.

I'm just fortunate enough, because without Bryce, being in their lives and them being in Bryce's lives, I would've never known them and know what it feels like to have a sister.

So they really -- I feel like they really filled that void tonight, and it was a special time for sure. I just remember Bryce being here on the sideline with us, and I think he actually had a coin toss here with us one time, too.

I mean, like I said, you go through things for a reason, and I feel like that situation kind of just molded me into who I am today. You know, like I said, it was a special moment tonight. Definitely would've liked to have him here. I'm blessed to have a lot of other people around me and love me and want to see me do great things.

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