So how about this Tre Watson!?

Discussion in 'On The Field' started by Detective Shilala, May 8, 2018.

  1. Detective Shilala

    Detective Shilala 2,500+ Posts

    I know he was injured much of last season but had good numbers the year before.

    From his highlight reel, he looks like a shifty, versatile guy.

    https://www.barkingcarnival.com/2018/5/6/17325492/cal-rb-grad-transfer-tre-watson-chooses-texas

    Seems like a great get! I know we already have a lot of bodies at the position, so it could be argued we are just adding depth when Young, Carter and INGRAM are all talented guys.
    But here we have a senior. We have a lot of young guys at the position, but we don't have a lot of experience.
    Could a senior help make our run game into chicken salad, form you know...?
     
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  2. p_town_horn

    p_town_horn 1,000+ Posts

    These guys know their stuff and have a pretty solid evaluation

    Link

    Based on everything I have read Watson won't win the Doak Walker this season but he is an upgrade at one of our weakest positions. IMO Kyle Porter was a ghost last season. He pass protected ok, but did nothing else. Daniel Young and Toneil Carter had flashes but neither could reliably (1) get to the corner, or (2) break arm tackles. You need to do one of those two to get regular yardage (preferably both). Also, neither has protected the ball.

    Watson looks like he has good vision and patience, a good burst of speed, and can either break a tackle or make the first guy miss. That is enough to keep us ahead of the chains. Add in his pass catching (which looks elite) and senior leadership and he is an upgrade. Add in the fact that he has 1 career fumble at Cal (or so I heard) and he is a huge upgrade.

    Let him mentor Ingram who can redshirt while he learns the playbook and pass protection and I think we are setting ourselves up nicely. This is a great change of pace from the many years we have rushed RBs onto the field too early.

    Nice pick up Herman :hookem:
     
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  3. caryhorn

    caryhorn 5,000+ Posts

    I think he will help the run game. However, I think what will help the run game the most is to add the two linemen: Anderson and Hudson; immediate upgrades at their position, while giving the younger guys time to grow more physical and skilled.

    From what I gathered while watching Tre's highlights is that he is an exceptional receiver out of the backfield. He will immediately help Sam and Shane by being an asset on screens, swings, and short dumps to confuse pass rush schemes and blitzing backers.

    I can't imagine that his presence won't add creativity to our offense.
     
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  4. Dionysus

    Dionysus Idoit Admin

    This is a potentially huge benefit, imo.
     
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  5. Htown77

    Htown77 5,000+ Posts

    Freshman tend not to be great but often improve. It would be very premature to give up on these two.
     
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  6. Detective Shilala

    Detective Shilala 2,500+ Posts

    This is what I am hoping. The sum of a football team is greater than its parts and that works both ways (when you take too many parts away the sum can be lesser).

    Here we have picked up a couple of solid parts from grad transfer, and if they can each individually raise the play at their position a by a modicum, we have something to build on.
     
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  7. ProdigalHorn

    ProdigalHorn 10,000+ Posts

    One of his highlight plays is an endzone grab where he lays out for the catch with a guy on him in tight coverage. For a running back, that was pretty spectacular. Based on the spring game, and some of last year, they want to throw to the backs in the flats more often and he looks like a guy who will excel doing that.
     
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  8. Detective Shilala

    Detective Shilala 2,500+ Posts

    I liked that play too. He looks like a really, really versatile back.
     
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  9. X Misn Tx

    X Misn Tx 2,500+ Posts

    he was on the doak walker watch list before his injury. definitely has potential to make a difference here.
     
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  10. SeattleHorns

    SeattleHorns < 25 Posts

    Last I checked we didn't have any RBs on any watch lists, except for "Watch these guys disappoint this weekend."
    I'm of the opinion that at least he adds some veteran know how and may help coach some of the young guys up on how to work, what to look for.
     
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  11. VYFan

    VYFan 2,500+ Posts

    Yes. Last year we seemed so close to being good enough to beat the teams on our schedule. A block here, a first down there, knock one more pass down, etc.

    Plus if—okay “if”—USC, OU and OSU had even good quarterbacks instead of NFL players, we would have won those three big games, so maybe our competition is slightly easier this year.
     
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  12. Phil Elliott

    Phil Elliott 2,500+ Posts

    IF he can get release from the backfield and does not have to stay there to pass protect.
     
  13. caryhorn

    caryhorn 5,000+ Posts

    ^^^Your point is well taken. However, the Screens and swing passes are often most effective when the rush is a jailbreak and in the face of the QB. Especially if a linebacker or safety is blitzing. Tre breaks to the vacancy left by the rusher. His highlights indicate he is skilled at seeing and sprinting to that opening.
     
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    Last edited: May 8, 2018
  14. dukesteer

    dukesteer 5,000+ Posts

    For some reason Watson reminds me of OU’s Quentin Griffin, a small back that drove us crazy.
     
  15. ViperHorn

    ViperHorn 10,000+ Posts

    or (3) stay healthy
     
  16. Sangre Naranjada

    Sangre Naranjada 10,000+ Posts

    You rotten bastard! You said his name. Now I'm going to have those nightmares again!
     
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  17. dukesteer

    dukesteer 5,000+ Posts

    I was at that game, whatever year it was. We could never tackle him...as you know. He kept popping out of nowhere. Maybe Watson can repay the favor in October.
     
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  18. moondog_LFZ

    moondog_LFZ 5,000+ Posts

    But for a fumble on the goal line by a freshman QB we beat USC.
    We held OSU to 10 points in regulation.
    A blown coverage allowing the TE to get wide open lost the OU game.

    I don't necessarily think their NFL caliber QBs beat us.
     
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  19. VYFan

    VYFan 2,500+ Posts

    I was going to say that he reminded me of a Tony Dorsett type runner, but then I looked back at some of Dorsett's highlights, and wow--I kind of forgot all he had going; don't think we could hope for that.
     
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  20. VYFan

    VYFan 2,500+ Posts

    B Mayfield also completed a long TD on a perfect pass against great coverage, and we had USC beat way before Sam fumbles (after Sam drove for the would-be winning TD, if no one but me remembers), if Darnold doesn't complete a phenomenal jump-pass under pressure, as well as an NFL-caliber final minute drive for the tying FG. So, yes, those QBs had a lot to do with beating us.
     
  21. Run Pincher

    Run Pincher 2,500+ Posts

    Reminds me of Eric Metcalf in running style and skillset, but not quite as talented. However, it wouldn't matter if we had Eric, Earl, Ricky, Cedric and Jamaal all in in the backfield if our line can't block.
     
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  22. moondog_LFZ

    moondog_LFZ 5,000+ Posts

    Sure. Every player on their team had a hand in beating us.
    What I'm saying is the "NFL caliber" QBs didn't come out blazing and kick our ***.
    We coulda,shoulda won those games in spite of the "NFL caliber" QBs.
     
  23. VYFan

    VYFan 2,500+ Posts

    Yeah, really all I was saying is that just maybe those three teams won't score as well in the year coming up. Just a optimistic thought.
     
  24. p_town_horn

    p_town_horn 1,000+ Posts

    No doubt the QBs we face this year will not be as talented as last year. That was some pretty sick competition: two first round NFL picks (the top 2 QBs in the draft) and a 3rd round pick (Mason Rudolph). According to the NFL that means we played 3 of the top 6 QBs in the country last year.

    A small drop off in production from those teams and small increases in production from our offense can be the difference in several games. We just need the defense to be elite again. I think Watson will be one of the small improvements in offense that can make that difference. Same with Calvin Anderson.
     
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  25. ProdigalHorn

    ProdigalHorn 10,000+ Posts

    I saw someone rank Sam as the no. 5 QB in the league this year, and I was pretty shocked until I looked at the list and realized none of the other guys had actually played. Should be an interesting year, and definitely one where we have an opportunity to jump into a conference title conversation a little earlier than I had expected.
     
  26. Horns11

    Horns11 10,000+ Posts

    I think Watson kind of serves Toneil Carter notice. They have very similar skill sets and size. He had the slip-up for his bowl suspension, and so we're bringing in the "rental" to show Carter what he can be capable of once he's out of the doghouse. Or at least "this is how you're supposed to be doing it, so figure it out or sit behind Young and Ingram for the next 2 years."
     
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  27. Statalyzer

    Statalyzer 10,000+ Posts

    What really lost us the USC game, in my opinion, was the play at the end of the first half when they threw a little dump-off to try and at least scooch close enough for a Hail Mary, and we missed about 4 tackles and took horrible angles and let them turn it into a touchdown.
     
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  28. caryhorn

    caryhorn 5,000+ Posts

    ^^^Yep. That play drove me crazy. I still can't believe it. That was the worst defensive failure of the season, imo. OMG, it was (and still is) painful to think about.:brickwall::angry::facepalm:
     
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  29. ViperHorn

    ViperHorn 10,000+ Posts

    Absolutely. It was a total reversion to Strong's or Diaz' defense.
     
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  30. longhorn47

    longhorn47 500+ Posts

    That play was almost as traumatic as Gilbert's shovel pass/pick-6 before that half in the BCS Championship game. PTSD every time I hear the name, Marcell Dareus!
     
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