USF Bulls linebacker Kion Wilson impresses coach with toughness after hand injury

TAMPA — Defensive coordinator Joe Tresey thought pretty highly of senior LB Kion Wilson before Saturday's win at Florida State, but Wilson's toughness in returning after injuring his hand took the coach's admiration to another level.

"If you ever want to go to battle, you want that guy in your foxhole," Tresey said. "He is a coach's dream. He comes to work every day. … He's 100 mph, every rep, every second."

Tresey held up his hand Tuesday and spread the fingers uncomfortably apart, showing how Wilson got his fingers separated during Saturday's game, tearing soft tissue on both sides of his right hand and requiring 25 stitches.

"He goes out early in the second, and third quarter, I'm standing on the sidelines, and he comes up and says, 'Coach, I'm ready,' " Tresey said. "I'm like, 'They told me you're done.' We had a change of possession, and I'm yelling for Kion, and everybody's looking at me, going like, 'You're nuts. He's out.' Here he comes, right out on the field, taped up, ready to roll.

"There aren't many people in America in this game that would come back out after getting 25 stitches in the locker room at halftime. … He's impressive."

Wilson leads the team with 22 tackles, and he had a forced fumble and fumble recovery Saturday.

Tresey told his defensive players they needed to force three turnovers and tackle at an 85 percent success rate to beat Florida State. They surpassed those goals, forcing four fumbles and scoring 88 percent when Tresey graded the defense.

If USF seemed more physical against the Seminoles, Tresey said it was simply better execution of something coaches have focused on all along.

"We stress it every week, every day, since Day 1, since I've been here," he said. "It's one thing we've tried to stress is being more physical."

THIS AND THAT: Football was not the only USF sport with a strong weekend, as women's soccer got a 2-1 upset against a West Virginia team projected in preseason to win its division in the Big East. Volleyball got two road wins to open league play, and men's soccer rebounded from its first loss of the year Friday at West Virginia to beat Pittsburgh on Sunday. … The school took final presentations from three groups Tuesday for design and construction of its planned facility upgrade project, budgeted for $24 million with new baseball and softball stadiums, a basketball practice facility and new practice fields for football. A final choice should be made next week.

Greg Auman can be reached at auman@sptimes.com or(813) 226-3346. Check out his blog at blogs.tampabay.com/usf and follow him at Twitter.com/gregauman