One of the joys of part-time scribing is getting to know so many great local kids involved with sports. We meet up in high school, and then we stay in touch. Sometimes, I will do a college or even a professional follow-up. Yes. It is grand. There is an impressive list. Both boys and girls from the area. This keeps me in the loop. I marvel at their successes both on and off. I will occasionally send them a few random well-dones. Many of these student-athletes get back to me with a thank you, Coach. That always makes my day.
Loyalsock’s Connor Watkins and I go back many moons. I know his family well, and I covered some of his high school games. Connor was an ALL-STATE footballer for the Lancers. The athletic dual-threat quarterback just wrapped up an impressive career. Watkins led the Villanova Wildcats to another solid year. My man put up some remarkable numbers. The senior finished with 2,102 yards passing and 13 TDS. The Wildcats were 10-4 and earned another trip to the Division 1 FCS second round. This was Connor’s third consecutive season going over 2K. He was outstanding. Fun to watch. Connor tallied 6,840 yards in the air and 49 touchdowns in college. Impressive.
“First and foremost, I want to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to play the game I love,” Watkins said in a statement this week. “I want to express my deepest gratitude for my family and their unwavering support, sacrifice, and love. They have been my rock every step of the way.”
I wrote two stories on Connor throughout his career. My favorite was when his Villanova Wildcats were on the road playing Penn State. Connor was a redshirt freshman. He was listed as the backup quarterback. The Cats were heavy underdogs, and we were hoping for a blowout as we were hoping to see our young friend get some playing time. The Wildcats came up short on their first set of downs. Beaver Stadium was rocking as it usually does. Then I heard the PA ANNOUNCER. BACK TO PUNT FOR VILLANOVA IS CONNOR WATKINS. Say what? I immediately grabbed my phone and started taking some photos. Dude? Connor did some punting in high school, but wow. My man was on the field early in the first quarter.
Most backups spend their Saturday afternoons on the sidelines. I later learned that Connor was a last-minute substitution. The normal punter was injured, and Connor needed to step in. Villanova is a small school, and they didn’t have much depth. Penn State’s defense was solid that year, and Connor was super busy. He had 8 punts for a net total of 277 yards with a long of 44. Not too shabby. The Nittany Lions prevailed 38-17. It didn’t matter. We were so excited for Connor. What a story.
“Coach told me to get loose,” Watkins told me a few years back. “He said something to me about kicking earlier in the week. But I didn’t know until that morning. ‘I haven’t punted since high school, Coach.’ It was something I will never forget. Stepping onto that field in front of 90,000 fans is what it was all about. I did my best. I was there to punt. You can’t make it up. Many of my family and friends were there to show their support.
“To Villanova University, the coaching and support staff, thank you for believing in me,” Watkins continued in his statement. “You helped me grow as a player and as a person. Your guidance and mentorship have been invaluable and appreciated. Thank you to my teammates. Thank you for the brotherhood, the memories, and the countless battles we tackled together. I also want to thank the fans and those behind the scenes. Your dedication never went unnoticed. I am truly grateful.”
“With that said, I am excited to announce that I am declaring for the NFL draft,” Watkins concluded. “This is the culmination of a lifelong dream, and I am excited to see what the future brings. Thank you, NOVA nation, for your endless support. Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat.”
Congratulations, my friend. I’m super proud of you and your achievements both on and off the field. Best wishes moving forward. I’m excited, too. Fantastic stuff, brother. We all enjoyed following you. Cheers, kid.
