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His job, back again then, was straightforward, as was the objective.
As a center-schooler, Muskogee’s Anthony Watson was a highlighted jogging back, scoring 20-25 touchdowns a 12 months, and began his high university occupation on the varsity stage as a freshman.
Past year came a significant enhance in actively playing time, but a calendar year of discovering, and a yr of adjustment.
Those people stats? Limited. Two-hundred 30-nine yards speeding, two touchdowns, but 425 yards acquiring, 3 touchdowns.
The 6-foot, 220-pound Watson has advanced, and is continue to evolving, into the football illustration of the Swiss Military Knife.
He might line up at working back again.
Or tight conclusion.
Or huge receiver.
And then there’s the other facet of the football.
On protection, taking part in a hybrid edge place labeled Rougher, he’d line up as a defensive conclusion, or at situations, fall again into coverage as a linebacker type, and can even change to protection.
“It’s variety of a lot, mastering the performs at 1 placement, then an additional position,” Watson mentioned, referring specifically to offense. “But I have not experienced any trouble with it.
He could manage 20 touchdowns a 12 months undertaking what he applied to, but he’s a gadget man.
“Swiss Army knife? That is a fairly very good description for him,” said Roughers head coach Travis Hill. “And we want to use all of his applications.”
Watson desires to increase his soccer existence past large university and he sees his ideal tools primarily as a managing again.
“From my height (6-1), I do not see myself as a tight finish and I even now need to develop as a defensive participant, but if not jogging back at the future level, it’s possible a receiver,” he reported.
Hill just is aware the junior is an offensive weapon, interval.
“From a defensive side, when I glimpse out there and know you have obtained to get into sure points and I see him coming on as a limited finish, I know it is for a motive and I have to personnel that (defensively),” Hill mentioned. “Anthony’s not going in on that established simply because he’s hardly ever coming off the industry. There is a good deal of multiple sets there with a single dude you can effortlessly get in to.”
Along the line, Watson brings some intangibles produced by encounter, flexibility and character.
“He grew as a blocker final calendar year on the perimeter and downfield even though enjoying receiver,” Hill reported. “He’s 220 lbs . and blocking corners, individuals that he is even larger than but just as athletic. When he observed that ability and took pleasure in it, he received far better and much better — as a sophomore.”
Watson embraces becoming a blocking receiver.
“Before I was made use of to overrunning my assignment, but I’ve slowed down and gotten greater keeping on to my blocks for a for a longer time time,” he explained.
That physicality will occur in useful with wildcat offers on the goal line.
“Don’t be reluctant to print that,” Hill reported. “He will discover himself in that offer.”
And in that, Watson will have the ball in his fingers with a possibility for touchdowns, which is what he wants in any case.
“My position has improved, but I’m extra (varied) and am also in a place of being a chief,” Watson mentioned. “I’m Alright with currently being that individual.
“Even if I’m not a running back, there is strategies I can function on as a limited stop or vast receiver. Catching and then tucking after the catch, and operating in the open up field. It’s all component of it either way, even as a functioning back again out of the backfield.”
Then there’s the character issue.
Watson is grounded in it, thanks to his mothers and fathers, Otis and Heidi and an older sister who has carved out her personal fame. Elexis Watson was the Phoenix’s Feminine Athlete of the Calendar year as a senior and went on in higher education to be a essential portion of a nationwide championship in softball at Rogers State this spring.
“I bought to thank all of them for trying to keep me in line and things,” Watson claimed.
And it’s observed by many others.
“Coaches who have viewed him and contact me to speak about him all say he’s a good child,” Hill mentioned. “Good football coaches continue to care about that intangible, and it can go 100 miles. Then you obtained a kid with talent, and you’re not going to get college coaches speaking about you unless of course you have that to start off.
“He’s a chief who not only calls for it but does it. It was hard for him to do that as a sophomore. That is not the scenario now.”
At issue is wherever he will finally be recruited to perform.
“In the very long run, the way he is getting employed will be a huge benefit for him and we’ll use it to our edge not only for what we do but also to market the kid to coaches,” Hill reported. “I imagine by the conclusion of this calendar year we’ll have some fascinating discussions about the items that will open up to him and we’ll have a much better thought what these coaches are wondering.”
In the meantime, the junior is imagining of championships.
“I observed my sister acquire and how content she was,” he reported. “I want that emotion. I require to even the household score.”
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