“If the planes weren’t flying, I’d resort to extending my thumb on the highway.”- Jon Huntsman, Sr BAREFOOT to BILLIONAIRE

It was last year just about this time that I discovered the Edinboro Fighting Scots for the first time. Well, September 6th to be exact. It was late on a Friday night when I went down the Edinboro Fighting Scots rabbit hole on the eve of their game against Robert Morris which the Scots would unexpectedly win the following afternoon.

In that piece we learned about Moon Township, “the financer of the American Revolution,” and AD Dr. Katherine Robbins on that Basil Hayden drenched evening. I’m sure you as the reader remember Dr. Katherine Robbins. The three, yes three-time National Water Ski champion in her younger years before taking over as Edinboro Athletic Director. Yessir. This was a night of fun facts.

This night was also the eve of my learning who Wilfredo Diaz was.

The week prior, Wilfredo had recorded 22 tackles in his team’s season opening home loss to East Stroudsburg and of course that caught my eye. At 5’11 200 pounds, Wilfredo was a relatively undersized Linebacker, but he was quite evidently effective at his position the entire season totaling 150 tackles and one INT for the Scots. Up to that point, he had recorded 11 tackles and an INT that he returned for a touchdown in 2023 playing in just three games and 85 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and one INT in 2022 playing in 11 games. The young man has a nose for the football that’s for sure.

He was fun to keep up with throughout the season. A season that did not fare well for the Fighting Scots as they ended the season 3-8 which was good for 5th in the PSAC West division. Seton Hill and Clarion were both 3-8 but each had one less conference win than the Scots slotting them at 6th and 7th respectively. It was on the heels of this season that Wilfredo decided to enter the transfer portal, and upon reading that news, I got excited to see where the sharp, talented young man would land and which team would render his services useful.

Look no further than Minot St.

It’s not Purdue, UCF, or Wake Forest like perhaps I’d hoped for him, but football is football, and Wilfredo just wants to play football.

Diaz hails from the Northwest suburb of Miami, Pembroke Pines, and attended West Broward High School where football, academics, and his family were his priorities. The mother of this young man is Sandra Blanco. Just shouting out the mom that made this man.

• Corner Canyon, which is literally down the street from this house I’m temporarily calling home, travels to West Broward today for a game that will be played tomorrow (8/22) night. This world continues to be small.

Academics remain a part of his life as he is seeking to complete his Health and Physical Education degree while at Minot, while also making an impact on the Beaver defense. Minot St has Wilfredo listed as a Safety as opposed to linebacker and I suppose size wise that makes a bit more sense. I’m sure he’ll be excellent given the freedom that the Strong Safety position allows.

From Miami to Minot, and all of the places in between, the Wilfredo Diaz story is just beginning. Whether he plays football for another decade or does something else, excellence will follow him where he goes as he exhibits extreme self-belief and work ethic, and excellence will always follow those two practices.

Wilfredo Diaz represents what a ‘student athlete’ is all about and this is a rarity in 2025. Like a “Black Tulip” in 17th century Holland. Rare. So, I’m taking a fraction of this early morning hour to highlight such a rarity and reflect on how I can also be excellent with this day.

The Edinboro Fighting Scots are in this young man’s review mirror. What will be seen through his windshield? In the short term, it’s helping the Beavers win the game against Emporia St (KS) next Thursday evening at 5:00. In the long term, who knows? But I’ll say this–Whatever Wilfredo wants to do in life–he will. The same is true for me and you. All it takes is extreme self-belief and work ethic.

Find the Humor and Keep on Movin’

Whit W.