Wilson served as a defensive assistant under Steve Spurrier with the United States Football League's Tampa Bay Bandits and at Duke, and was promoted to head coach after Spurrier left for Florida shortly after leading the Blue Devils to a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference title. Wilson was unable to maintain the modest success Duke had enjoyed under Spurrier. A year after winning a share of the conference title, Wilson's first team crumbled to a 4–7 record and won just one game in ACC play. He compiled a record of 13–30–1 in four years, winning just four games in ACC play.