Transfer OL Wilkin Formby brings SEC experience to Aggieland

Key notes from Wilkin Formby interview

• It has been a good transition. I was in Tuscaloosa with my friends and family, and there was a comfort level to that. Being away from home, I can step out of my comfort zone and see growth as a player and in my faith. The transition has been smooth. I know a lot of guys, like my friends, will transfer and wish they hadn’t done that. I’m very thankful that I’m happy with my decision. The people in the building have been great and have helped me in this journey. It all happens very fast, but there are so many great people who are making this process so smooth for me.
   
• In my room, there are multiple guys who transferred, but there is still some leadership there. Having a lot of transfers could be intimidating to the coaches because they’re putting a lot of emphasis on us growing together as teammates. I know the coaches want us to have a tight bond, and the players want it equally as bad.
   
• Whether it’s being in the same class as them in recruiting or playing in the SEC, you get to watch guys on film and get familiar. Tyree Adams and I went to some camps in high school, so we were already familiar before we got here. There are other guys in the room that I knew before transferring.
   
• Isaiah Horton, on the field, is a matchup nightmare. He’s big and really athletic. He showed up big time for us in games last year. He’s a big-time player and a threat that you want on your roster. He also brings leadership. He has played a lot of football. He also works so hard, which most people don’t get to see. It’s good for the culture and the environment here.
   
• The Iron Bowl goes way back before this, but when I first got to Alabama, our strength coach would always say that those were the games that people would ask your record against those types of teams. Those games mean more, and it separates families. You’ll hear stories growing up where your dad wouldn’t let you date an Auburn fan. It’s a real rivalry. That’s something big to me is understanding rivalries. Being an Alabama fan growing up, I understood the rivalries against Auburn, LSU and Tennessee, and I had real pride in it. I’m going to do the same thing and understand the culture about the rivalries here at Texas A&M and what it means to the fan base to win a game like that. You’re representing a lot of people, and a lot of people are trusting you to win.
   
• Going back to Alabama will be crazy, and it’s their homecoming game. It’s going to be crazy, but every game in the SEC is like that. It’s intense when you go on the road, but I’m excited for this season, what our team is going to do and to keep growing. It might be even crazier for Horton because he’s a lot better of a player than I am.
   
• My relationship with Marcel Reed goes back to high school as well, because we were both really close to going to Ole Miss. We would go on visits together. I loved that program when I was getting recruited. We joke about that because we’re still playing together.
   
• The biggest thing is that you knew Nick Saban was going to eventually retire, but you never thought he would do it in that moment. We had the Michigan game, and then time to go home with your family. We had a meeting set, and I remember the freshmen had just gotten there. Some of our teammates were traveling back, and some of their flights got delayed. They pushed the meeting back another day, and that was kind of odd. The locker room would joke around, and I told a couple of the younger guys that Saban was retiring, just messing with them. Our hearts dropped in the meeting with how he was talking and his demeanor. When he actually told us, it was nuts. I remember trying to call Kadyn Proctor, who missed the meeting. When he landed, he said his feed was just swirling with notifications. I’ll never forget that, and it was disappointing for everyone. Some of the coaches who had been there for a while were telling us that the team would be what we make of it because there was going to be a target on Alabama. All of our phones were blowing up with freaking vultures. Nobody knew that Saban was going to make that decision. The transition was good with Kalen DeBoer. It was really smooth. He did a phenomenal job putting together his staff. I have nothing but great things to say about DeBoer, and I think the world of him. To be the quality of character he is in this day and age is tough. I didn’t want to burn bridges with him or that staff. I got my degree from there.
   
• When I got in the portal, I was hearing from a lot of schools, but I got a lot of peace about A&M. I was praying about it a lot, and I was really drawn to A&M. From the outside looking in, I would see a good culture that does a good job of developing offensive linemen. Evaluating the team culture and how Mike Elko runs his program, I thought it was a good opportunity. I came on my visit, and it couldn’t have gone better. I wish it were a better story, but it was really that simple.
   
• As a player and my whole life, I’ve gone through some adversity in my career, so I’m utilizing the hard times to make me stronger. People think God will supernaturally make you stronger, but He sends you on a path to make you stronger. My prayer is for Him to make me stronger. I remember being a freshman and playing under JC Latham. I remember trying to learn and soak up as much as I could from those players on that team and be like a sponge. A lot of people think that’s weird, but he was a preseason first-round pick. I would run and lift with him and soak up what he can give me. That was my mentality as a freshman.
   
• When I was a senior in high school, I came to the Texas A&M-Alabama game on a visit, and we were sitting behind one of the goalposts. I grew up around LT Overton, and we would play on the same team or against each other when we were growing up. I remember seeing him and his brother going through warmups. That last play was crazy. Terrion Arnold came up big for Alabama. It was crazy.
   
• The Jimbo Fisher-Saban feud was crazy. It was funny to see all of the players try to stand up for Saban, and all the A&M players stood up for their coach. It was funny to see Saban get so edgy. The following year was when I got redshirted. I think Dallas Turner blocked a field goal. It was just a crazy game. Jermaine Burton went crazy. I think Caleb Downs had an early pick, too. A&M’s defensive front and their box were insane that year. I remember prepping for A&M and thinking it was going to be a blood bath.
   
• One thing that stands out about Kyle Field is the cannon every time A&M scores. Every time, I would jump. At least now it’ll be a good thing. The environment is great. The fan base is great. Aggies take care of Aggies, and that’s great. The fan base and culture are great, and I’m glad to be a part of it. I can’t wait to see that stadium full.