Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Watts shining in senior year
Defensive tackle matches career total during breakout season.
FAYETTEVILLE — One individual success story stands out for the University of Arkansas in a season gone awry with a school recordtying nine losses heading into Friday’s 1:30 p.m. season finale at Missouri. Defensive tackle Armon Watts, a fifth-year senior, entered the season with seven career tackles and no sacks. But this has been a breakout season for him. Watts will play his final college game in his home state ranked second in the FBS in sacks among all defensive tackles. In his first four years as a Razorback, Watts’ biggest claim to fame came as a redshirt freshman in 2015 when his quarterback hurry led to a Josh Liddell interception in the second quarter of a tight game at Alabama. The Show-Me State native needed a fifth season to do it, but his seven sacks while starting 10 consecutive games have shown he never quit pursuing football excellence. “I just took ability, took my God-given tools, took the coaching, took the grinding to a whole other level and it’s paid off,” Watts said. “The key thing about it is being consistent, and that’s what I pride myself on.” Watts, a 6-foot-5, 298-pounder from Christian Brothers College High in St. Louis, has also emerged as a player singled out by defensive coordinator John Chavis as an example to his teammates. Chavis was asked to explain how Watts evolved from being buried on the depth chart into one of the SEC’s most productive defensive linemen. “No. 1, and this is the biggest key of all, he’s bought in,” Chavis said. “He’s all in, and he wants to do it the way you teach it. … He’s worked his rear end off to get where he is. And all the credit goes to he and [defensive tackles coach] John Scott. “Coach Scott has done a good job coaching him, but he’s been all in and all ears, and he’s applying it in the game. He’s a smart young man, and he understands football. He could go teach everything he’s doing right now.” The change in coaching staffs seemed like a trigger for Watts, who logged three tackles in 2015 and 2016 combined before posting four last year. “He just bought into the program, he believed and he trusted himself,” said senior offensive tackle Brian Wallace, Watts’ teammate for the last nine years. “He’s really chasing after something that he believes in.” Watts got his senior season off to a rousing start with
sacks in each of the first three games. He forced fumbles in the first two games. “He’s had a great season just coming on in a new scheme and playing at a high level,” junior linebacker De’Jon Harris said. “I’ve been hearing he’s getting a lot of recognition, and I think he deserves it, just seeing the way he worked in the off season, and his play speaks for itself.” Watts ranks sixth on the team with 42 tackles and has 7.5 tackles for loss, including the 7 sacks, as well as 3 hurries. “I think it was a lot of the mental game,” Arkansas center Ty Clary said. “I think he’s always had the athleticism and physicality, but when he got the mental game down, he knew he was a big dog, and he knew he could do it this year. Everything just fell into place for him. He’s whipped everybody this year.” To show the early sacks weren’t a product of stat-padding against lower-level opponents, Watts has three sacks against SEC competition, versus Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and LSU. He posted his second streak of three games with a sack when he did it against Tulsa, Vanderbilt and LSU for a combined 26 yards in losses. Watts’ teammates on both sides of the ball could see his dedication would lead toward something special in his senior year. “Oh yeah, I saw it coming,” receiver La’Michael Pettway said. “Armon, he works hard. What I’ve seen from Armon this summer and the training and all that, I mean, you could tell something special was coming. “He stayed here late. I was another guy that was here watching film late, and I would always see Armon.” Said quarterback Ty Storey, “The dude’s a beast man. … He’s always been a hard worker. Real quiet guy. To see it finally kind of come out for him and have a breakout year like he is, it’s just awesome.” Chavis said Watts’ senior surge should pay dividends down the line with a shot at the NFL. “I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” Chavis said. “I think he’s earned that attention. He’s got the body that they’re looking for and certainly we’re pleased with what he’s done for us here. “I think he’ll finish this season out strong and there will be more football ahead for him, no question.” Watts said playing in front of at least 10 family members and friends on Friday against the Tigers will be motivation. “Its definitely big for me, especially playing on that field,” Watts said. “I’m just ready to give Mizzou all I’ve got.” Watts said there’s a recruiting story involving Missouri in his past, but he didn’t want to get into it. “But definitely some feelings toward that program and how things went, so I’m definitely going to bring it,” he said.