Editor's note: This feature story appeared in the UTSA Digital Game Program for the Lamar game on Saturday at the Alamodome.
By Julia Maenius, UTSA Athletics Communications
SAN ANTONIO -- The start of the 2021 UTSA football season brings a new emphasis on leadership and focus on the culture built by second-year head coach Jeff Traylor. Senior outside linebacker Charles Wiley is back, along with 11 others, for his super senior season and is stepping into a role of leadership on and off the field.
Starting his football career at age eight in Pop Warner youth programs, Wiley worked to become highly recruited out of high school. After three seasons at Ole Miss, where he played in 33 games, recording 57 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries, Wiley transferred to UTSA for the 2020 season.
"Coach Traylor reached out to me and he's a very genuine person. I just love the overall feeling I got from the school," Wiley said. "Truth be told, I didn't know much about San Antonio prior but after looking it up, it was a was a great city. Talking with my parents and my mentors, everybody thought it would be a great idea and a great fit for me as a player."
Beginning his career at UTSA in 2020, Wiley experienced a pivotal season in Roadrunners history with a new coaching staff at the helm, playing through a global pandemic and helping lead the team to its second bowl berth.
"I felt like I had a great contribution to the program and I aided in all of these historical moments," Wiley said. "For me, it was good being a part of something so special to such a great city and such a great university. It meant a lot."
Starting in 11 games during the 2020 season, Wiley recorded 43 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.
"It shows I'm just trying to work," Wiley said. "At the end of the day, win, lose or draw, no matter the circumstances, I'm just trying to work, work my opponents and try to get the rest of my team better."
Creating an atmosphere of strong mentality and high character has been vital for the new coaching staff to implement with the team. Traylor's culture pillars, and the Triangle of Toughness mantra, draw on elements of high character and work ethic to connect the team with the game and foster a winning atmosphere.
"Every school has their own culture pillars and mottos that they say but the biggest thing that Coach Traylor does is emphasize what he's preaching," Wiley said. "He emphasizes physical toughness, mental toughness and selflessness. He wants us to be those things. He emphasizes those things and makes sure that we understand and live by those culture pillars."
Applying these culture pillars is vital for a player to be bought into the culture Traylor is establishing at UTSA. For Wiley, his main focus is to use the culture of selflessness to become a better teammate and, as a senior leader, understand how to aid in his teammates' success.
"I'm just trying to be the best person that I can, try to control what I can control and not really let what I can't control bother me too much," Wiley said. "I just want to treat people and do the things that I can that I would want to be treated like and want done for me. The biggest thing is, I'm an old guy on the team, so I try and help out those younger guys. Sometimes it's a rough day for people and I just try my best to pick people up because if I'm having a rough day, I want somebody to do that for me.
"I'm just going out and doing what I'm supposed to do to make my parents and family proud. Every day I think about how much they've sacrificed for me. I want to be a good role model to my younger brother by making sure that my last name is kept in a very good heart."
A tradition Traylor has begun for the team is to have players vote on which of their peers can wear single-digit jersey numbers. The honor highlights their outstanding leadership and commitment to the program. Wiley was selected by his teammates after fall camp to wear the No. 2 jersey for the 2021 season, despite having only played one season for UTSA, for his leadership and commitment to the culture and team.
"I'm a big lead-by-example guy," Wiley said. "The biggest thing is I want people to see I can do it, so you can, too. I'm no more special than anybody else and at the end of the day, it is all hard work and dedication. I want everybody to know that you can do this and anything is possible for anybody under any circumstances. I am extremely appreciative of my coaches and my players around me to nominate me for that. It shows that people are looking at the accomplishments and the contributions that I do on and off the field."
Stepping up as a leader on the team for underclassmen, Wiley focuses on showing his commitment to the program through his efforts on and off the field. Setting examples for his teammates and putting in the extra work needed to succeed, Wiley cemented himself into the culture of selflessness.
"Everybody's looking to see how I respond, and everybody is reacting to see what I do," Wiley said. "Everybody's reacting to see how I feel, so it motivates me to come out with my A-game every day."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA offered seniors whose season had been affected by the virus to have the option for an extra year of eligibility. Wiley was one of the dozen Roadrunners who rejoined the team for the 2021 season.
"Talking it through with my parents and some of my mentors, everybody really thought it'd be a good idea," Wiley said. "My dad said, 'you know, what's 365 days?' It has flown by, and I completely agree with him. That's more of the reason that I have so much respect for my parents and their input because I totally agree with what he's saying."
Working during the offseason, Wiley's focus was to improve his pass rushing and ability to get to the quarterback. He focused on being a key contributor on the UTSA defense and aiding in the team's success.
"It started with the offseason," Wiley said. "I was most definitely the strongest, most explosive and fastest I've ever been. Then [the coaches] wanted me to play a more pivotal role on the field, just doing more things to utilize my talents and wanted me to be a more vocal leader. Everything played out perfectly."
Coming off a 37-30 win against Illinois, Wiley reflected on how the victory exhibits the hard work of the team and what the success means for the future of the program.
"It shows we can battle with anybody," Wiley said. "As long as we come in with the mindset that we can do it, no matter if they're the worst school or the best school. If we go on with the mentality, with those culture pillars, at the end of the day, the Triangle will travel."
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