Position switch benefits Woolen

Former receiver excels as corner in ’Runners’ secondary

With a new coaching staff offering a fresh start, UTSA quarterback Frank Harris saw the opportunity to bring Tariq Woolen back into his arsenal of targets.

A 6-foot-5 junior, Woolen spent most of two seasons at wideout for the Roadrunners before transitioning to cornerback for the final few weeks of 2019, making his debut in UTSA’S season finale.

When Jeff Traylor stepped into the head coaching role about two weeks later, Woolen had a clean slate, free to choose the next steps of his career.

“Hey bro, we have new coaches,” Harris said. “Come play receiver again.”

Woolen shot him down. Though he had been skeptical about then-coach Frankwilson’s decision to slide him to a newposition, Woolen knew his opportunities at receiver were limited.

The cornerback role felt like home, and he said going back to receiver under a new staff “wasn’t even a thought in my head.”

He doubled down on his commitment during the offseason, staying in San Antonio rather than returning home to Fort Worth to work on his craft any way he could through the coronavirus pandemic.

Woolenwas tabbed as a starter by mid-august, and he’s been a standout through UTSA’S first two games, breaking up four passes and notching 1½ sacks. Pro Football Focus named Woolen its national Defensive MVP of the Week for his performance Saturday against Stephen F. Austin.

“I’m just happy. I’m speechless, honestly,” Woolen said of his play. “It’s felt good to know that it’s been working out.”

Harris said Woolen has been “phenomenal,” showing determination to learn the techniques and responsibilities of corner

back after playing offense dating back to his time at Arlington Heights.

During camp, Woolen said he only occasionally reminisced about his days as a pass-catcher, watching his friends in the receiver group from afar. Still, he said the cornerback position “has my heart right now.”

Tight end Leroy Watson said Woolen looks natural in the new role.

“Tariq is a freak,” Watson said. “He can go all day. It’s amazing seeing him play a position that really suits him.”

Safety Rashad Wisdom said Woolen approaches the role with the right attitude and mindset, willing to listen and learn from

coaches and more experienced players.

“He’s if not the fastest, one of the fastest guys on the team, so it’s definitely something to deal with every day,” Wisdom said. “But I sure love having him on the side with us. He’s a big-time player.”

Woolen adapted to the physicality of the position, rushing on a corner blitz during UTSA’S season opener and delivering a crushing hit on Texas State quarterback Tyler Vitt for a sack.

Harris said Woolen found that hard-hitting edge when coaches questioned his willingness to initiate contact, and defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix said Woolen improved as a tackler from one game to the next.

Woolen credited his form to a tackling circuit UTSA runs during practice and said the physicality

naturally carried over from offense.

“As a receiver, you have to be physical when they’re coming to block or making any type of contact,” Woolen said. “Playing corner, I carry it with me, and try to just be as physical as possible when that time presents itself.”

He said the most difficult part of the transition is the constant movement and instinctive nature of the position relative to the precise route-running required on offense.

UTSA cornerbacks coach Nick Graham said Woolen has “pro ability” because of his size, speed and athleticism. Woolen has a long way to go to reach that potential, especially in the wake of UTSA’S spring practice being canceled because of the pandemic, but Graham characterized Woolen as a willing learner

who rarely makes the same mistake twice.

“He’s going to ask questions, he wants to be right, and he’s tough on himself. At times, too tough,” Graham said. “My task to him is just to clear that, and let’s go on to the next play. That kid is way farther along than I thought, without a spring ball.”

Defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix acknowledged that players with Woolen’s 6-5 frame usually play offense. But Woolen “doesn’t catch as well as some of our other receivers,” Nix said, and the defensive back position was viewed as a more glaring need than wideout.

Woolen said the biggest challenge is “staying low” in coverage to be prepared to make quick breaks on the ball, and Nix said Woolen has stepped up his play from week to week.

“We feel good about him. We feel like he’s improving,” Nix said. “Eventually, he will be, hopefully, one of the guys who is a top corner in this conference.”

Nix targets several areas for Woolen to continue improving. His man-to-man press coverage and ability to play the ball in the air are points of emphasis, and he can become an evenmore reliable and impactful tackler, Nix said.

Since taking on the new role, Woolen has never been one to back down from a challenge.

“I put the work in, and I fell in love with the position,” Woolen said. “I don’t regret making a position change, and I just have been getting real comfortable with the position and falling in love with it real slow.”