Brandon Watson now career AND single season record co-holder for INTs returned for a TD
Remember this thread when Lavert Hill got his 2nd career pick six vs Wisconsin?
Brandon Watson, with his interception returns for a TD against Maryland (46 yards) and #14 Penn State (62 yards) has no put himself into the tie atop the career record list.
Brandon Watson joins Lavert Hill, Lance Dottin (1987-1991), Thom Darden (1969-1971) and Gary Prahst (1956-1958) as the career record holder for interceptions returned for a TD.
In addition to the career record, Watson is now tied for the single season record for pick sixes with Thom Darden who had 2 in 1971.
November 5th, 2018 at 6:43 PM ^
HAIL!
November 5th, 2018 at 6:46 PM ^
is Prahst playing against the Baltimore Colts in that photo?
November 5th, 2018 at 6:48 PM ^
my exact thought, but i think you can see a hazy looking 's' (or it might be a 5, as in 25) on the helmet. could be our couch burning friends, back in the 50's.
November 5th, 2018 at 6:52 PM ^
Dat fro tho
November 5th, 2018 at 6:57 PM ^
Thinking about how our friends from Rutger are so kind to opposing DBs...there may be a new #1 soon
November 5th, 2018 at 7:00 PM ^
This speaks to Don Brown's scheme imo. Both of Michigan's CB's implicated within this record/stat (modern era) have played under Brown's system.
Imo, he's arguably the best defensive coordinator in school history.
November 5th, 2018 at 9:12 PM ^
Am I crazy for thinking he’s arguably the best DC in college football history? Caveat of not knowing many old guys applies but man Brown’s defenses are dominant.
November 5th, 2018 at 7:01 PM ^
My most memorable moment from this past Saturday:
I was watching the game with the MGoIncrediblyTolerantGirlfriend when Watson got his Pick-6. When he took his helmet off on the sideline, her exact words were:
"Well, THAT is a very nice looking young man!" And the tone in her voice could accurately be described as "cougar-like."
When I told her I was tempted to share this with the MGoBloggers, she told me to go ahead. "Just make sure they know that I'm not just saying that because he scored a touchdown."
November 5th, 2018 at 7:08 PM ^
Sounds like a keeper.
November 6th, 2018 at 5:23 AM ^
Yup. Although why she keeps me around is something I haven't figured out yet.
November 5th, 2018 at 7:12 PM ^
At least yours is subtle about it as opposed to my girlfriend who frequently tells me she'd trade me for Jordan Poole lol
November 5th, 2018 at 8:42 PM ^
Well, if worse does come to worse, at least your "Got blindside robbed by Brandon Watson" story is far less humiliating than Tommy Stevens'
November 5th, 2018 at 8:53 PM ^
Tommy Stevens is the most Penn State name.
November 5th, 2018 at 10:00 PM ^
But he sounds like the 6th grader next door. Out trick or treating with the Beaver!
November 6th, 2018 at 5:20 AM ^
Actually, I told her something similar to this. I said that if she does leave me for Watson, at least I lost her to a UM Football record holder. My ego could live with that.
Plus, I told her, he's probably got greater earning potential than I do.
I got that amused & patronizing look from her (the one that all women can give), and she replied:
"Yeah, honey - because it's his 'earning potential' that I'm after."
November 5th, 2018 at 7:04 PM ^
Brandon Watson deserves a great deal of credit. Long and Hill get a lot of the praise for being great CBs but Watson has been outstanding this year. Would not be surprised to see him end up on an NFL roster next year.
November 5th, 2018 at 7:34 PM ^
What's the major ding on him? I've never seen him come up on NFL draft projections thus far.
November 5th, 2018 at 7:38 PM ^
B-Wat is awesome. As Bush said in today's interview, B-Wat is "the unsung hero" of Michigan's D.
Meanwhile, Long and Hill are awesome. And Metellus and Kinnel are mean as hell.
How different it feels to have a stacked secondary--as we do today--compared to defenses of not so long ago. I sharted every time opposing teams threw the ball at RR secondaries.
November 5th, 2018 at 7:23 PM ^
But is Watson the best Delawarean to ever play at U of M? Inquiring First Staters like me wanna know.
November 5th, 2018 at 7:43 PM ^
The football roster database says that only three Delawareans have ever played football at UM—Tony Kelsie from the late '70s (who never lettered); Freddy Canteen; and Watson.
I find it hard to believe that's all, but if it is, Watson is far and away the best of the lot.
November 5th, 2018 at 9:34 PM ^
Thanks for checking! I guess it makes sense, being that there's not a ton of football talent 'round here and what there is stays fairly local. Top of my head, the greatest all-time, Randy White, went to Maryland, and the most-recent pro, Quadree Henderson, went to Pitt.
Plus, any kid with an affinity for winged helmets doesn't have to look farther than U of D.
November 6th, 2018 at 6:07 AM ^
Delaware still owes us for Harold (Tubby) Raymond: Flint Northern grad and University of Michigan QB/linebacker under Fritz Crisler, who became a College Football Hall of Fame coach for the Blue Hens, with a record of 300-119-3.
And of course, for the helmets.
November 5th, 2018 at 7:35 PM ^
I hope no one ever has three; but I hope everyONE has two!!!!
November 5th, 2018 at 7:40 PM ^
It's remarkable how much the shoulder pads have shrunk in the last 40 years.
November 5th, 2018 at 8:08 PM ^
I think about that every time I see Higdon run and I reminisce about Tyrone wheatley
November 5th, 2018 at 8:16 PM ^
All pads, but technology probably makes the smaller ones more effective. Its all about speed.
I'm also guessing no one has worn a cup in decades (both NFL and NCAA). Again, all about speed and avoiding getting a direct hit.
November 5th, 2018 at 7:45 PM ^
So is the career record just two pick sixes? That's surprisingly low...
November 5th, 2018 at 7:53 PM ^
It seems like there are way more pick-sixes nowadays than there were in previous eras. Maybe it's just that teams pass more now.
November 5th, 2018 at 8:37 PM ^
Yes.
It's not that strange, considering teams often threw just 10-15 times a game through the 1980s.
November 5th, 2018 at 7:54 PM ^
He is quietly having an outstanding season.
November 5th, 2018 at 8:28 PM ^
Hail B-Wat.
Good stuff WD. I'm still hoping you'll publish your SuperGuide.
November 5th, 2018 at 8:31 PM ^
Love me some B-wat!
November 5th, 2018 at 11:09 PM ^
There will come a day when we have a Tommy Watson. And oh the shortened name puns will follow.
November 5th, 2018 at 8:46 PM ^
Most improved player on team
Hope he gets a chance on an NFL roster
November 5th, 2018 at 9:09 PM ^
Watson was a dude even last year, maybe the most underrated guy on the team though. Have to imagine he gets a camp invite with the pros at the bare minimum, and hopefully he sticks around.
November 5th, 2018 at 9:54 PM ^
At the very least he’ll get a camp invite. He’s Stribling with way better ball skills.
November 5th, 2018 at 10:57 PM ^
He actually reminds me more of one of our DB’s that transferred, from Brady Hokes team, Blake Countess.
November 5th, 2018 at 9:38 PM ^
I think Runyan has to be the most improved player. Watson is up there though.
November 5th, 2018 at 8:51 PM ^
He's not finished yet. One later this month and one in January?
November 5th, 2018 at 8:53 PM ^
That’s something that always confused the hell out of me, is that for as good as a defense we’ve had the past 3 years, we never forced too many turnovers.
We hit hard but never forced fumbles, and pressured the living hell out of quarterbacks but never seemed to get that many picks. Maybe numbers will show what I feel is wrong but it does seem like we should be naturally forcing more turnovers
November 5th, 2018 at 9:39 PM ^
Our interception total is pretty normal, I think. We do seem to not force many fumbles though, which is weird.
November 5th, 2018 at 9:08 PM ^
For a guy who had 0 career picks coming into the year, not bad. I’d have lost a lot of money betting the record would be more than 2 though.
November 5th, 2018 at 9:49 PM ^
How about these stats:
The Michigan Defense has more interceptions (9) than passing touchdowns allowed (6) so far this year.
Opposing QBs have completed 4 TD passes (interceptions) to Michigan DBs this year and only 6 TD passes to players on their own teams.
Over the past 4 games, our defense has given up completed passes of 7 (MD), 7 (Wisky), 7 (MSU), and 8 (PSU). For the entire game. That's less than half the total amount of completions allowed in each of the 4 games prior (WMU, SMU, Nebraska, NW).
We have a killer secondary, y'all and they have CLEARLY taken it to another level over the past 4 games.
November 5th, 2018 at 9:52 PM ^
Superguides motherfucker!
November 5th, 2018 at 10:38 PM ^
I knew Lance in the South Quad dorm...he was the leader of the db group off the field..
November 5th, 2018 at 11:29 PM ^
It's sort of amazing that Watson has gone from "maybe it got late early for him" to a legit top DB in the conference and a record holder.