Brady Wilson developing rapidly as a Sycamore

Terre Haute South High School graduate Brady Wilson is developing well with the Indiana State football program.

Wilson said he wanted to stay in the community and has been watching Sycamore football for as long as he can remember and he wanted nothing more than to be able to be on that sideline on Saturdays.

“Not only on Saturdays, but what it takes to get here, this being the first spring ball and everything that I’ve been a part of, it’s been really fun,” Wilson told the Tribune-Star.

He said it’s been a good spring and that they’ve had good competition both ways.

Looking back on his time at South, Wilson said if he looked at himself when he was 180 pounds his senior year to now being 200 pounds, he’s a completely different athlete.

“Not only just as a football player, but an overall athlete,” Wilson explained. “I think there’s been a lot of hard work that’s been put in here,”

“I think our whole freshman class has really seen a lot of development throughout this year and hopefully [we’ll] get to see that on the football field and go further.”

His favorite memories from his time at South are the people, mentioning that he’s stayed in contact with former classmates who are playing sports at any level.

“We had a lot of good athletics, so just keeping in touch with them ‘cause we’re all on our own journey,” Wilson said. “It’s all really special.”

Wilson isn’t the only South grad on the team, however, as Alex Rose is a Sycamore as well. So is former Northview standout Braxton Sampson.

“It’s great to see a Wabash Valley showing here,” said Wilson, who redshirted the 2025 season. “Coach [Curt Mallory] preaches it all the time that he wants Wabash Valley kids here because there’s good football in the area and good people in the area.”

Wilson said the biggest adjustment from the high school level was the speed of the game.

“Everybody on the field’s a Division I athlete and got recruited to come here and the speed of the game is definitely something,” Wilson pointed out. “I’ve started to see the game slow down a little bit, but still a long way to go in that process.”

Mallory praised Wilson for being the type of athlete he is and how he’s done at the quarterback position.

“He’s a good athlete,” the veteran coach said. “He’s been doing a good job at quarterback. We’ve also played him a little bit at some other positions just because of the [crowded] quarterback situation right now.

“He’s just helping where he can right now. If it’s not quarterback, he’s helping where he can.”

Mallory said he really became impressed with Wilson when the coach saw him at South’s practices.

“I’ve watched him in middle school,” Mallory elaborated. “I’ve watched him in high school. I’ve seen him play in three sports. He’s a winner, he’s a competitor and he’s great for our program.”

Regarding a timeline of Wilson seeing action, Mallory said it’s all about him being ready.

“He’ll be ready when his opportunity comes,” Mallory said. “You have guys that are obviously starters and then you have guys that have to be ready and he’s one of those guys.”

Wilson went down with a sprained ankle in practice Thursday. Prior to the injury, Mallory praised the type of player and person he is.

“He did a great job for us on the scout team,” Mallory emphasized. “This is his first spring and he’s learned the system and doing a great job.”

Mallory described his quarterbacks as a selfless group and when Elijah Owens was out last year, Wilson was prepared for every game even though he didn’t play.

“Mentally, he was locked in and he knew the game plan as well as our guys that were in it in the game and that’s a good role model and a good leadership quality in Elijah,” Mallory said.

Wilson said the veteran players they have at ISU are great leaders. He said they’re good football players, but also great leaders.

Wilson said Owens and Louisville transfer Brady Allen both do things really well.

“They have their own different style of play, but they both fit in the offense really well,” Wilson said. “I think for me, that just comes from how I want to see myself fit in the offense.”

He said everybody must do their own thing regarding what’s best for them and how they’re going to play.

“Taking things from both and kind of just learning,” Wilson said.

Wilson said he fits in well at ISU because during his time at South, it was a spread offense, which started around his sophomore year.

“That spread offense, up tempo I think has definitely translated here, but even in [a] more college like way, I’ve learned a lot and it’s been really good,” Wilson said.

Wilson said he and the rest of the quarterback room look up to former NFL star Tom Brady.

“We’re always sending each other stuff that we see on him,” Wilson said.