Tylar Wiltz is a playmaker on the field and he impresses people with his character and the way he carries himself off the field. He has a 3.8 GPA at Breaux Bridge High School in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, and was the leader of the Tigers defense as a senior.
. “When you talk about a kid you want to coach, he’s that kid. He does everything you ask him to do. He competes every day. You don’t have to chase him for behavior, you don’t have to chase him for grades, all of that’s taken care off with him. All you have to do is coach him,” Breaux Bridge defensive coordinator Chad Pourciau said.
Pourciau said that at the next level, Wiltz could possibly be an outside linebacker or a box safety – the lone safety in a 4-4 defensive set (four defensive linemen, four linebackers, two corners and a safety).
“… Obviously, making that move just for reads, coverage and things like that, he’ll have adjustments [to make] but like I said, he’s a football player, he works so hard and he’s a smart kid. He’ll pick up, he’ll adjust and I’m sure he’ll fit in right away,” he said. “… It may take a year or so but after that he’ll be just fine because he’s a football player. It doesn’t matter where he plays, he’ll find a way to make some plays, make some tackles, cause some turnovers and do good things.”
Pourciau has had the opportunity to coach Tylar Wiltz since he was in the seventh grade so he has been able to see Wiltz’s growth. With him leading the way at middle linebacker, The Tigers ran a 50 defense (three down lineman, two middle linebackers and two defensive ends/outside linebackers).
Wiltz is a three-sport athlete at Breaux Bridge (football, basketball, track & field) and said that football for him is a positive outlet to let all of your aggression out and he developed a love for the sport at a young age.
“My family is always there to keep me up and to pump me up when I’m playing sports like football. Religion has a huge impact within my life through prayer and faith. Also, man can only do certain things and God has to be a part of my success because anything can happen on any given day,” Wiltz said about the roles of family and religion in his life.
His older brother Wiltz said has had the biggest impact on him growing up because he’s always pushing him to get better mentally and physically.
Tylar Wiltz is a Breaux Bridge native who loves being around the people in his city.
“It really means a lot being around the people and knowing they’re all good, nice people, and that they’re behind me 100 percent in everything that I do. So, you love people like that knowing that they’re here to encourage you and get you back on your feet. It’s just all love around here.”
Wiltz started to recognize his true potential in his sophomore year. His first year playing varsity football. He also realized it was possible to get a free education and take his talent to the college level.
Athletes need a plan B because there is life after their sport and there is life after possible injury so with that said, Tylar Wiltz wants to get into the medical field as a nurse or a pharmacist.
On the football field, Tylar Wiltz is one of a kind. He is fast sideline to sideline, a great tackler and a leader with control of the defense. When he talks, all of his teammates listen to him.
“My speed because I just like to run sideline to sideline and have a good time hitting people. It makes things a lot easier,” he said about what the best part of his game is.
If there’s one thing he believes he needs to work on, it’s his mental toughness after a bad play. He keeps his head down and feels it’s his biggest problem.
He played middle linebacker for Breaux Bridge in his last season but was an outside linebacker his first two years. He’s being recruited as a safety at about 5’11-six feet, 186 pounds. In 2016, he recorded 87 tackles (50 solo), six tackles for loss, two pass breakups, one sack and one blocked kick. The Tigers went 5-7 (4-1 Division).
Breaux Bridge Tigers head coach Terry Martin in his first year back as coach after an 11-year stint with Breaux Bridge (1993-2004), said that he was aware of Wiltz talent when he was the head coach at Cecilia High School in Cecilia, Louisiana, a few years ago.
“He’s a really good football player and I know it’s kind of a cliché to say this but he’s a much better person. Great student, he’s going to work his butt off and probably overdoes it. Last year, late in track season going into spring, I want to say he missed the first week of spring football because he pulled his hip flexor,” Martin said. “It was just nonstop, went to football, basketball and to track in between all of those things, beside the regular workouts we were doing, he was doing a lot of stuff on the side.”
When Martin got back into the fold at Breaux Bridge, he was told by more than one coach that Tyler Wiltz was the guy he needed to look to for leadership and he didn’t disappoint Martin during his transition on that front.
He is unranked by the major recruiting services (247Sports, Scout, Rivals) but he does have offers from Southern Arkansas, Arkansas-Monticello, Northern Colorado and Kentucky Christian University. He also has received interest from Nicholls State, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, McNeese State and more.
“People say you’re supposed to enjoy your recruiting process but mine was kind of stressful, I had my ups and downs. I don’t want to say my talent but just my performance, I feel that if I would’ve started the recruiting process a little bit earlier, my options would’ve been greater but I’m really satisfied with what God has provided me with.”
Wiltz said he will be looking at how much attention he gets from coaches when deciding to commit and sign to a school. He wants to know that colleges have a plan to make him better as a football player but more importantly as a person.
“…Also, when you care more about academics and you’re not saying winning a football game [is more important]. You feel that everyone should have an education, that really sells me too because there is life after football,” Wiltz said.
“I’m really appreciative for everything that I have but right now I [haven’t] really sat down and talked with my parents to see what would be the best options for me. Right now, I’m thinking about what else can I pick up, the schools that I have, the ones that are to come and if I can go [to a school] and [make an] impact as fast as I can. Anything I can do to make the program better.”
Right now, Texas Christian University is his dream school because of the atmosphere in the Fort Worth, Texas area and the aggression and fast football he sees from the TCU Horned Frogs.
On what he’ll miss the most about playing for Breaux Bridge, he had this to say.
“I think the thing that I’ll miss the most is the time with coaches and teammates. There’s a lot of love and they were behind me. Anytime things got rough, they let me know that they’ll always have [my back] and I’m just appreciative.”