Atlanta Skins Fan Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 From CPND "Hot News" today: RB to return kicksby Warpath of WarpathInsiders.com, September 2, 2002 at 5:24pm ET Kenny Watson will be the deep man on kickoff returns to open the season. Watson also will serve as Stephen Davis' main backup. The last sentence is a real shocker. I didn't think Betts had fallen below Watson on the depth chart, and I figured his status as #2 pick would cause him to win ties. So the staff must view Watson as clearly better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dchogs Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 wow...that is a shocker. due to his year in the league? wow, a huge shocker! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeSkin Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 Betts must've really sucked in camp, because he did nothing to demote himself in the preseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awesome Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 Hmm, very interesting. Didn't really watch him too much during preseason, but maybe Betts didn't impress as much has had been anticipated. Or maybe Watson looked better than the coaches thought he would. Either way, this is a setback to the theory that Betts is being groomed to take over for SD in 2003. I have to take this as good news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ummagumma Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 I thought Betts had some sort of nagging injury? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennesseeCarl Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 I think it shows a lot of courage not to automatically hand the job to Betts just 'cause he was a #2 pick. He didn't look good in early camp...maybe he picked it up, but I didn't see a whole lot. Kenny Watson was terrific in camp a year ago and had a pretty good preseason. I think he's earned a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowboykilla Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 I am happy with Watson as our #2 back, but as a kick returner....i think not. He's a little slow for my liking. It's like how they automatically stick you with some slow guy in madden on the default rosters. He's not a kick return guy in my opinion. I hope to the Lord that he proves me wrong and takes one to the house, but i dont see it happening. We need a faster/quicker guy back there on kicks if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen-like Todd Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 If he's the #2 RB, obviously he wasn't too close to getting cut. I guess the fans and media made the Gillespie/Watson battle out to be more than it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 Betts was hurt (ankle) and sat out the Pitt game, didn't he? Maybe there is more to the injury than has been told. Naming Watson as the #2 back for right now, may have something to do with the injury, if it has proven to be reoccuring. He has been on the kick-off and kick-off return team. Was he out there during the Pats game? I imagine many will ask about this situation. Blondie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 I know what your saying about the returns Killa, but better him then starter we depend on all the time. Ummagumma, love the handle...............and the band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dayumnuttinleft Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 I can't see how this can really be a shock when alot of the people on the boards here were asking if betts could be cut and keep Watson/Gillespie. I often wondered why people were talking about the Watson/Gillespie battle when Waston was the first off the bench to spell Davis. And doing my research, Watson is still Penn States all time KR leader. Better yet, ask Quezzie and Coach Spurrier who almost killed them in the Outback Bowl with his return, and he still holds the record for the longest Fiesta Bowl KR. look at his Bio, he wasn't a bad KR at Penn State. Trust me, the kid shows up when it's time to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 well, hooray for Kenny Watson! all I have to say is I am sorry it comes at the cost of having to spend a #2 pick on Ladell Betts to provide Kenny a chance to rise to the occasion. I had my doubts about the Betts pick and his preseason performance has done nothing to assuage my fears. As I mentioned in another post, if you had placed Watson, Gillespie and Betts together and isolated on them in the preseason on the field, is it at all clear from what you saw that Betts was the high draft choice with the big upside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 I like the fact that Spurrier opens up the competition and doesn't seem to play favorites. I do think Betts is the primary backup behind Davis when he's totally healthy and we should see a good bit of him. Watson is a surprise keep because Gillespie caught our attention, but, Watson is more valuable in other aspects of the team than Gillespie was. The Washington Post still has Watson as the No. 3 guy as well. I'd be surprised to see Watson as the No. 2 for any reason other than a injury right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlito Sway Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 Don't want to be a d!ck, but to posters who wanted to ace #48 for Betts . . . Lick a shot and school yourselves about the running game, and the kind of pimp it needs to be fully functional all season long. Give credit where it's due: to Stephen Davis, our boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stricknine Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 I pretty much always viewed Betts and Watson as neck and neck, but figured Betts would get the nod as a #2 pick. But, what the he!! do I know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newera Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 Also . . . I think Watson provides a change of pace from Davis. Whereas Davis has burst, power and acceleration, Watson is a better lateral runner then Stephen. For instance, his touchdown run in the Tampa game could have never been done by Stephen. Watson cut on a dime and darted in the endzone. All done by him. Also in the New England game he shook a guy out of his shoes on one play. Stephen really doesn't do that. It's kind of like when we had Riggins and Washington. Once you get used to one style of runner, the change up back kills you. I like the pick. Watson is just a better runner then Gillipise. And, can serve as a third down receiver. It was close, but I give the nod to Watson as runner. Plus, we kept Gillesipie (sp) on the practive squad. NewEra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thinking Skins Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 With Green also back there on KR, I think its safe to say that most of the returns will be handled by Green. I think that Watson's good blocking ability helped him to make the team. He will be the lead blocker for Green on his long returns and I think taht will lead to some nice gains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 If Watson really is the #2 guy, and good for him, then the Betts pick was a REAL bad pick. It's one thing to spend a high pick on the best player available over need(OL, DL, anyone?), but if that best available can't even be a backup someone in the front office needs to be smacked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 Originally posted by Henry If Watson really is the #2 guy, and good for him, then the Betts pick was a REAL bad pick. It's one thing to spend a high pick on the best player available over need(OL, DL, anyone?), but if that best available can't even be a backup someone in the front office needs to be smacked. And that someone would be... Vinny Boy Cerrato!!! From what the press was saying after draft day, it appears Betts was Vinny's baby, while Baumann and Lott were Marvin's suggestions. Ramses seem to be more of Mendes brainchild, but I think he was something of a consensus decision. Vinzo's draft record w/ SF was not too encouraging, and none of his picks in 2000 after Lavar/Samuels made the cut. I think Il Cerrato will be gone (I hope) in another year or two. Much as I hate Schot, I woulda liked to have kept his scouting dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 You know guys, I think you might be reading too much into this. Betts and Davis are by many accounts the same type of back. Watson is a completely different back. I would expect Watson to get more playing time when Davis is not in than Betts because Betts would be the primary back when Davis is down and Watson would be the third down back when Davis is out on third downs. The Washington post still has Betts as No. 2 on the depth chart. If Gillespie made the team instead of Watson and you were informed that Gillespie would play when Davis didn't, would you think it was because of his obvious skill as a third down back, or because he had jumped ahead of Betts too? Now, if Davis goes down and Watson comes in over a healthy Betts, then it tells a different tale. I don't know that we fully know what's being discussed here. I suspect Watson will play when Davis isn't while Betts waits because Watson is probably more ideally suited as the third down back than Betts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 Now, if Davis goes down and Watson comes in over a healthy Betts, then it tells a different tale. I don't know that we fully know what's being discussed here. I suspect Watson will play when Davis isn't while Betts waits because Watson is probably more ideally suited as the third down back than Betts. I agree. I'm only talking about a healthy Betts being #3 on the depth chart. If Watson is the designated 3rd down back or if Betts is hurt that's a different issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaganaut Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 Betts isn't even the #2 back and Clinton Portis is being picked as rookie of the year by the analysts along with Randal El. Someone ought to correct Vinnie's lithium dosage before next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posse81 Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 Watson has been running #2 behind Davis most of preseason. I don't know what happened to Betts, but maybe this will push the team to get something worked out with Davis sooner rather than later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooty Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 Davis will be cut because he won't play for less than 5 mil next year which he would get on the open market.That is a scary thought considering Betts and Watson suck as starters.SS will get who he wants anyway.The Betts pick looks horrible right now.Watson is a decent back up but a #3 back at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardi gras skin Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 Wasn't Spurrier notoriously slow to depend on freshmen? I wonder how much of that mentality carries over to rookies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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