I saw this post on Facebook this morning. Seems like a great kid (I am 10 minutes away from his school, same school as Bo Melton, Owen, and Ahmir). Can we still get him or is this a done deal? Did we pass on him?
EGG HARBOR CITY — Isaiah Watson signed his National Letter of Intent with a smile and a sense of relief Wednesday afternoon.
The Cedar Creek High School senior linebacker and running back will attend the University of Albany on a football scholarship. Albany was the first school to recruit Watson.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Watson said.
That reason didn’t seem so clear a few days ago.
Watson originally verbally committed to Army. He planned to attend West Point Prep in 2017-18 and then enroll at Army, a path many Army football players follow.
Army spent months recruiting Watson. He committed after receiving a home visit from Army head coach Jeff Monken and assistant Chad Wilt on Jan. 22.
But less than two weeks after Watson committed and just five days before signing day, Army pulled Watson’s offer to attend the school. An Army assistant coach called Watson last Friday with the news.
“I didn’t know what options I had left,” he said. “It came crashing down for a little bit.”
Cedar Creek coach Tim Watson, no relation to Isaiah, said Army coaches cited the school’s “extensive requirements for admission” as a reason for the decision. But Tim Watson and Cedar Creek officials said Isaiah Watson’s academic status changed only for the better the whole time Army was recruiting him. Watson will be academically eligible at Albany.
“He did nothing wrong,” Tim Watson said.
Tim Watson found out about Army’s decision Saturday morning.
“I didn’t sleep Saturday night,” he said. “It was hard. You want to see things happen the right way.”
Wednesday was National Signing Day. The country’s top football players sign binding National Letters of Intent to attend Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision and Division II colleges on scholarships. Army’s decision five days before signing day left Isaiah Watson scrambling.
Tim Watson reached out to just about everyone he knew connected with college football.
“I was leaving no stone unturned,” he said.
But many of the schools that had offered Isaiah Watson a scholarship had filled those slots with other players after learning of Watson’s commitment to Army.
Albany coaches had stayed in contact with Cedar Creek even after Watson committed to Army. The school still wanted Watson and had a scholarship available.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Watson plays with a combination of speed and power. He helped Cedar Creek win the South Jersey Group II title in 2015 and reach the title game in 2016.
EGG HARBOR CITY — Isaiah Watson signed his National Letter of Intent with a smile and a sense of relief Wednesday afternoon.
The Cedar Creek High School senior linebacker and running back will attend the University of Albany on a football scholarship. Albany was the first school to recruit Watson.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Watson said.
That reason didn’t seem so clear a few days ago.
Watson originally verbally committed to Army. He planned to attend West Point Prep in 2017-18 and then enroll at Army, a path many Army football players follow.
Army spent months recruiting Watson. He committed after receiving a home visit from Army head coach Jeff Monken and assistant Chad Wilt on Jan. 22.
But less than two weeks after Watson committed and just five days before signing day, Army pulled Watson’s offer to attend the school. An Army assistant coach called Watson last Friday with the news.
“I didn’t know what options I had left,” he said. “It came crashing down for a little bit.”
Cedar Creek coach Tim Watson, no relation to Isaiah, said Army coaches cited the school’s “extensive requirements for admission” as a reason for the decision. But Tim Watson and Cedar Creek officials said Isaiah Watson’s academic status changed only for the better the whole time Army was recruiting him. Watson will be academically eligible at Albany.
“He did nothing wrong,” Tim Watson said.
Tim Watson found out about Army’s decision Saturday morning.
“I didn’t sleep Saturday night,” he said. “It was hard. You want to see things happen the right way.”
Wednesday was National Signing Day. The country’s top football players sign binding National Letters of Intent to attend Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision and Division II colleges on scholarships. Army’s decision five days before signing day left Isaiah Watson scrambling.
Tim Watson reached out to just about everyone he knew connected with college football.
“I was leaving no stone unturned,” he said.
But many of the schools that had offered Isaiah Watson a scholarship had filled those slots with other players after learning of Watson’s commitment to Army.
Albany coaches had stayed in contact with Cedar Creek even after Watson committed to Army. The school still wanted Watson and had a scholarship available.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Watson plays with a combination of speed and power. He helped Cedar Creek win the South Jersey Group II title in 2015 and reach the title game in 2016.
